Lien Chan, honorary chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party, arrived in this capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province Monday night to continue his tour in the Chinese mainland.

Lien was greeted by Zhang Xuezhong, secretary of Sichuan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), who expressed the hope that Lien's visit will promote the cross-Straits relations and the relations between the two parties.

Lien responded that Taiwan and Sichuan will share closer links in the future as the province is developing at a fast speed and boasts elites in various walks of life.

Lien, who started his mainland tour on Oct. 14 in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning Province in northeast China, will spend 5 days here and then conclude the trip.

This is Lien's second tour to the Chinese mainland this year after the historic-making visit from April 26 to May 3 at the invitation of Hu Jintao, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

(Xinhua News Agency October 25, 2005)