President of the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) Chen Yunlin returned to Beijing, China, on Nov. 7, 2008, after completed a five-day historic visit to Taiwan. Wang Yi, director of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council received him at the Beijing Capital International Airport at 13:50 local time. [Photo: Xinhua]

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Special Report: Mainland Envoy Visits Taiwan

Wang Yi, Taiwan affairs chief of the Chinese mainland, on Friday described the historic cross-Strait visit as one of "exploration, cooperation and peace".

Chen Yunlin, president of the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), and his delegation opened a new era in cross-Strait relations when they visited the island, said Wang, director of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

He made the remarks while greeting Chen at the Beijing Capital Airport. Chen just flew back from the five-day meeting.

Wang said the visit was one of exploration as it was the first visit to Taiwan by an ARATS chief. It was also the first time both sides held consultations in Taipei and for the ARATS delegation to have broad contact with people from different circles of Taiwan.

This progress sent the the ARATS and Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) into the orbit of regular consultations and further propelled cross-Strait ties, he said.

Wang said the visit was one of cooperation. In the spirit of equal consultation and reciprocity, the two organizations signed four agreements on food safety, direct shipping and flights, and mail services, and had a series of exchanges.

These achievements brought tangible benefits to compatriots on both sides, gave impetus to the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties and built a platform for enhancing mutual understanding, he observed.

Meanwhile, Wang added, the visit's message was one of peace as Chen and his delegation brought greetings from the mainland to Taiwan compatriots and displayed the goodwill and sincerity of the mainland to beef up friendly cross-Strait exchanges.

The official said regular consultations between the two organizations were at new starting point and the prospects of cross-Strait ties were brighter than ever before.

Wang said people knew that the road ahead was tough and arduous, but no one could cut off the close connection between compatriots on both sides that existed in blood. Nor could anyone smother the aspirations of the two sides to have exchanges or reverse the trend of peaceful development of ties.

He promised his offices would continue to support the ARATS and work with people on both sides for the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.