TIANJIN -- The Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs chief Zhang Zhijun said on Saturday that the mainland welcomes and encourages personages from various Taiwan political parties and more mayors to participate in the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.
Head of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, Zhang made the remarks while meeting Chen Chu, the mayor of southern Taiwan's Kaohsiung city, who is visiting the mainland's port city of Tianjin.
During the meeting, they exchanged ideas on promoting peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and boosting exchanges between cities across the Taiwan Strait.
Zhang reaffirmed the mainland's stance of supporting exchanges between cities across the Strait, saying the current development of cross-Strait ties manifests that peaceful development is one sure path and the common aspiration of compatriots from both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
He called for compatriots from both sides to join hands together and make contribution to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
