The charter flight taken by James CY Soong, chairman of the People First Party (PFP) in Taiwan, arrives in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, as Soong and the PFP delegation led by him start a nine-day mainland visit on May 5, 2005. (Xinhua Photo)

Local middle school students welcome the arrival of James CY Soong (C), chairman of the People First Party (PFP) in Taiwan, in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, May 5, 2005. (Xinhua Photo)

James CY Soong, chairman of the People First Party (PFP) in Taiwan, waves upon his arrival in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, as Soong and the PFP delegation led by him start a nine-day mainland visit on May 5, 2005. (Xinhua Photo)

James CY Soong, chairman of the People First Party (PFP) in Taiwan, and his wife wave upon their arrival in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua Photo)

(Xinhua Photo)

James CY Soong, chairman of the People First Party (PFP) in Taiwan, delivers a speech after arriving at the airport of Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, May 5, 2005.(Xinhua Photo)

James CY Soong (C), chairman of the People First Party (PFP) in Taiwan, waves to the crowd as he delivers a speech after arriving at the airport of Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, May 5, 2005. (Xinhua Photo)

James CY Soong (L, front), chairman of the People First Party (PFP) in Taiwan, is greeted by Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Work Office of Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, upon his arrival in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, as Soong and the PFP delegation led by him start a nine-day mainland visit on May 5, 2005. (Xinhua Photo)

James CY Soong (Front R), chairman of the People First Party (PFP) in Taiwan, waves during his speech after arriving after arriving in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, May 5, 2005.  (Xinhua Photo)

James CY Soong (C), chairman of the People First Party (PFP) in Taiwan, speaks in local accent during a brief speech after his arrival at the airport of Xi'an.  (Xinhua Photo)

James CY Soong , chairman of the People First Party (PFP) in Taiwan, waves to the crowd as he leaves the airport after his arrival in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, May 5, 2005. (Xinhua Photo)

   XI'AN, May 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Chairman James CY Soong of the People First Party (PFP) reiterated his party's unwavering stances of opposing "Taiwan Independence" upon his arrival Thursday in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province and first-leg of his nine-day visit.

    Soong's trip came in the wake of the visit by Lien Chan, chairman of Kuomintang. Lien's eight-day mainland tour was described a "landmark and historic" trip that thawing the 60-year-long hostility between Kuomintang and the Communist Party of China(CPC).

    Calling himself embarking on "a trip of seeking the same roots of the Chinese people and building a bridge across the Straits for the future", Soong and his delegation were honored with a red-carpet welcome from both the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and the Shaanxi local government.

    Looking down from the porthole of the China Southern Airlines Flight CZ3011 at the Yellow Loess, the birthplace of the Chinese civilization, Soong said he couldn't help getting excited when having panoramic view of this special place.

    "Although Taiwan is only some 100 kilometers away from the mainland, it took me more than 50 years to stride over the Straits and set foot on the mainland soil," he said.

    Apparently touched, Soong said in local dialect, "We are of one family and should of course work together to create our common future."

    Soong said it should be the "common aspirations" of all the Chinese to seek the " mutual acquaintance, mutual understanding and mutual reconciliation" and to reach "common consensus, harmonious living and common prosperity."

    To materialize these aspirations, he called on people across the Straits to keep to three fundamental stances in opposition to "Taiwan Independence", adherence to the "1992 Consensus" and upholding peace.

    The previous Kuomintang member, who founded the PFP in 2000, underscored that anyone familiar with the political history of Taiwan knows that the PFP has never swayed on these principles of stance. "In contrast, it has always been working hard and assiduously for cross-Straits reconciliation," he said.

    Although many Taiwanese have voiced their concern about the "three direct links" before he left Taiwan, Soong said the most important thing was to have the people on both sides to share the same feeling.

    "If you share the same feeling, you share everything," he said.

    During his meeting with Li Jianguo, secretary of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of CPC, who also hosted a banquet for the delegation, Soong reiterated the necessity of having all the Chinese across the Straits to work together for peace and prosperity.

    Calling Soong's travel "an event of historical and realistic importance for cross-Straits party exchanges and peace and stability", Li welcomed Soong to pay homage to the mausoleum of Huangdi, who was regarded as the ancestor of all the Chinese.

    The homage-paying ceremony demonstrates the common aspiration of all posterity of Huangdi and Yandi, another Chinese ancestor, for all the Chinese share the same roots, same blood, same ancestry and same origin, he said.

    Given that Soong's wife Viola Chen was born in Qishan of Shaanxi, Li said that the province has a special affinity to Soong's family.

    "Soong's visit also bring benefits to our garden," said Yang Jin, a manager of Datang Furong Garden, the venue where Li welcomed Soong. "We will show our hospitality for guests from afar. Moreover, all the seats of our gala show have been booked after the visits by Lien and Soong."

    Li Jing, a Xi'an citizen, told Xinhua that he learnt from newspaper that Soong is the "son-in-law" of Shaanxi so he felt closer to PFP chairman.

    "Upon arrival in Xi'an, Soong first paid homage to the Mausoleum Huangdi. I really appreciate this deep inside my heart," said a citizen who voluntarily went to the Sheraton Hotel to welcome Soong.

    Soong and the delegation made the trip at the invitation of the CPC Central Committee and its General Secretary Hu Jintao. The delegation will also travel to Nanjing, Shanghai, Changsha and Beijing during his May 5-13 trip. Enditem

    Trip to seek root, build bridge

    Upon arrival in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Soong said, "The ancestors of all the people in Taiwan came from the land I'm now setting foot on."

    He said both the people in Taiwan and the mainland "are in the same family and should of course create our common future."

    "The PFP delegation is here to build a bridge of mutual trust, mutual understanding and cooperation between Taiwan and the mainland," he said.

    Soong and his delegation left Taipei at about 9:20 a.m. Thursday to embark on a nine-day visit to the mainland.

    Xi'an is the first leg of Soong's trip. His itinerary also covers Nanjing, Shanghai, Changsha, and Beijing. Enditem

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