"Many problems in economic, cultural and social fields need to be addressed after a long time was idled away," he said.

"We sincerely hope we can seize this opportunity to promptly and actively exchange views so as to outline practical plans based on the expectations and benefits of the people on the two sides," he said.

In 1992, the two organizations held negotiations in Hong Kong on how to state "adherence to the one-China policy" and reached the "1992 Consensus".

In 1993, ARATS chairman Wang Daohan and SEF chairman Koo Chen-fu held talks in Singapore in the first public meeting between high-level figures in the name of non-governmental organization leaders since 1949.

The meeting between Wang and Koo established an institutionalized negotiation mechanism and marked an important step forward in the cross-Strait relations.

During the meeting, four agreements were signed to promote trade and people-to-people exchanges.

After the meeting, more than 20 consultations at different levels were held. In 1998, Wang and Koo held meeting again in Shanghai.

Talks between the two sides were suspended in 1999 after Taiwan leader at the time Li Teng-hui proposed his "special state-to-state" model for cross-Strait relations.

(Xinhua News Agency June 12, 2008)