BEIJING -- In a sign of warming relations, China has invited the head of Taiwan's incoming ruling party to visit the mainland, where he is to meet with President Hu Jintao. Taiwan Nationalist Party Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung will start a six-day visit May 26, a party official said Saturday. "In the hope to facilitate peaceful progress in cross-strait relations ... Chairman Wu has decided to accept the offer," Nationalist Party Secretary-General Wu Den-yih said. The Nationalist Party will become Taiwan's ruling party on Tuesday when Ma Ying-jeou is sworn in as president. Relations between China and Taiwan seemed to improve as soon as Ma's election victory became clear in March. China had been deeply suspicious of outgoing Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian, who supports formal independence for Taiwan. Taiwan and China, which split during a civil war in 1949, have banned regular direct links and other formal contacts as political disputes persist _ but that is beginning to change. An offer of help from Taiwan was one of the first that China accepted after its deadly quake Monday. Taiwan's Red Cross has said China agreed to accept a 20-person emergency relief team. Taiwan is also sending a cargo plane with tents and medical supplies. "The Taiwan compatriots have been active in making donations and offering help in various forms after the devastating earthquake," Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee, was quoted as saying by the state-run Xinhua News Agency. "With positive changes of the current situation in Taiwan, Wu's visit will be conducive to strengthening the communication and dialogue of the two parties and will push forward the peaceful development of cross-strait relations," Xinhua quoted Chen as saying. Wu is not planning to visit the quake-affected area in Sichuan province, Nationalist Party spokesman Huang Yu-chen said. In an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday, Ma made clear he has no intention of following Chen's pro-independence path but said unification with China is unlikely "in our lifetimes." Beijing continues to view the island as part of its territory. China already has started pursuing relations with Ma's party. Late last month, Hu met with Lien Chan, honorary chairman of the party, in Beijing and talked of "laying aside disputes." A visit by Lien in 2005 was the first by a Nationalist Party chairman since the Nationalists fled the mainland in 1949.
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