China's top political adviser Jia Qinglin says the Communist Party of China and the Kuomintang Party should take advantage of the current opportunity and open a new chapter of peaceful development in mainland-Taiwan relations.

Jia, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks in Beijing while meeting visiting Kuomintang Party Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung.

Jia highlighted the importance of Wu's visit, and spoke highly of Wu's important contribution to promoting the improvement and development of the cross-straits relations, as well as the Kuomintang's persistence in opposing the "Taiwan independence", recognizing the "1992 Consensus", and advocating for developing the cross-straits relations.

He also called for joint efforts to start weekend chartered flights across the straits and facilitate mainland tourists to Taiwan as early as possible.

For his part, Wu Poh-hsiung said the two parties should increase dialogs under the new situation, while continuing to carry out exchanges between grassroots party organizations.

Earlier, the Kuomingtang Party chairman paid homage to Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum in Nanjing, capital city of Jiangsu province on the Chinese mainland.

Wu Poh-hsiung called on the Chinese mainland and Taiwan to take a direct and realistic view on the past and present, and also to have an open attitude towards the future when dealing with cross-straits relations.

"Both sides across the Taiwan Straits should face history directly, face the reality and have an open mind towards the future. Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum is the best proof for this. We are deeply moved."

Wu thanked the Nanjing city government for keeping the mausoleum in an outstanding condition, as Dr. Sun Yat-sen was a founder of the Kuomintang Party.

Wu Poh-hsiung said people in Taiwan have shown deep concern for the May 12 earthquake in Sichuan and such concern was a natural display of feelings.

"Both the mainland and Taiwan belong to the Chinese nation and are closely tied by blood, which no one could obliterate.''

The Kuomintang chairman also expressed the hopes for both sides to encourage more positive interactions, greater mutual trust and mutual benefits.

Nanjing and Beijing were the first two stops of the Kuomintang delegation's six-day mainland visit, which also includes Shanghai later in the week.