GUANGZHOU, July 7 (Xinhuanet) -- The 30-member delegation of the New Party in Taiwan, headed by Chairman Yok Mu-ming, left Guangzhou for Nanjing at 2:50 p.m. Thursday.

    Yok and his entourage, who arrived in Guangzhou via Hong Kong Wednesday afternoon, paid homage to the Huanghuagang 72 Martyrs' Tombs Thursday morning to honor the 72 people killed in an abortive uprising to overthrow the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

    In front of the pine tree planted by Dr. Sun Yat-sen, forerunner of the Chinese democratic revolution, Yok said the delegation were here to pursue the Chinese people's heroic spiritsand cherish the memory of the martyrs with hopes that people on the two sides of the Taiwan Straits will treasure the opportunity of today, be united and work together to seek the prosperity of the Chinese nation.

    The delegation received a warm welcome from the citizens in Guangzhou, many of whom expressed hope the New Party will promote the development of cross-Strait relations and contribute to the peaceful reunification of the motherland.

    Yok said the New Party has named the mainland tour a "journey of the Chinese nation" to show that they identify themselves as members of the Chinese nation and seek to advance the prosperity of the Chinese nation and status of the Chinese people.

    During a meeting with Zhang Dejiang, secretary of Guangdong provincial committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Wednesday afternoon, Yok said: "We want to make it clear to all Chinese in the world: only when we are united, can we realise peace across the Straits and open up a new stage in the 21st century when we Chinese people feel proud and elated".

    The New Party's eight-day mainland tour marks the 60th anniversary of China's victory in the resistance war against Japanese aggression. It closely follows the mainland visits made by the leaders of two other major parties in Taiwan, the Chinese Kuomintang Party and People First Party, in April and May.

    In Nanjing, the second leg of their mainland tour, the delegation will pay tribute to the Mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and offer condolences at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in the Nanjing Massacre, an atrocity conducted by Japanese invading troops in World War II.

    The delegation will also visit Dalian and Beijing. Enditem