Taiwan leader wraps mainland China visit

SHANGHAI, May 31 (UPI) -- A Taiwanese political leader concluded a visit to the Chinese mainland Saturday urging peace talks to continue during the Beijing Olympics.

Wu Poh-hsiung, chairman of Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang Party, left Shanghai Saturday, wrapping up a six-day visit to the mainland, said Xinhua, the state-run Chinese news agency. Xinhua reported that Wu described the visit as "smooth and happy" and that a Communist official said the search for peace between China and Taiwan was a "historical responsibility."

"We're glad to see the early resumption of talks between the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait and the Taiwan-based Strait Exchange Foundation," Wu said. "Let's meet in the Beijing Olympics two months later. I believe the Beijing Olympics will definitely be the most successful one."

Xinhua quoted Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, as saying the promotion of peace and development across the Taiwan Strait is a matter of historic importance.