Official talks between Taiwan's opposition People First Party (PFP) and the Communist Party of China (CPC) over the schedule of PFP Chairman James Soong's planned visit to the mainland began yesterday in Beijing.

The nine-member PFP delegation, the party's first official delegation to the mainland and headed by Secretary-General Chin Chin-sheng, met with Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee, at Diaoyutai State Guest House last night.

Chen said the meeting would help both sides fully prepare for Soong's visit and ensure its success.

"We are also willing to fully exchange views about future exchanges and communication between our two parties," he told the PFP delegation.

The preparations come on the eve of Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan's upcoming trip to the mainland between April 26 and May 3.

The KMT leader's "journey of peace" is an important step to foster mutual understanding, said Li Jiaquan with the Institute of Taiwan Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

(China Daily April 25, 2005)