BEIJING, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Hu Jintao, top leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC), sent a congratulatory message on Monday to Taiwan's Ma Ying-jeou, who was elected chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT) Sunday, sources from the CPC Central Committee said.

    Hu, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, said in the message that he hoped the two political parties could continue to push forward the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, deepen mutual political trust, keep working for the interests of compatriots across the Strait, and rejuvenate the Chinese nation.

    In his reply to Hu's message, Ma expressed his gratitude to Hu's congratulation, saying that cross-Strait relations had embarked on a road of peaceful development and mutual prosperity through joint efforts based on the 1992 consensus.

    The two parties needed to keep on working together under the principles of facing reality, building mutual trust, laying aside disputes and creating a win-win situation, Ma said in the reply.

    The two parties should also make efforts to consolidate peace across the Taiwan Strait, restore regional stability, and push forward cross-Strait development and prosperity, Ma said.

    Ma Ying-jeou was elected KMT chairman Sunday in a landslide victory, taking 93.87 percent of party votes.

    Ma won Taiwan's leadership election in March last year and was inaugurated in May 2008. He had previously served as chairman of the KMT from July 2005 to February 2007.

Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou elected KMT chairman

   TAIPEI, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou was elected as chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT) on Sunday by a landslide win of 93.87 percent of votes.

   About 56.95 percent of the voters turned out in the election and Ma won 285,354 valid votes, according to the KMT Central Committee. Full story