Improving ties across the Taiwan Strait were evident here Saturday, when Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met Lien Chan, Kuomintang (KMT) honorary chairman.

They met on the sidelines of the 17th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders Meeting.

During the meeting, Hu said he was pleased to meet Lien again and congratulated him on continuing to serve as the KMT honorary chairman.

Hu said Lien had been following up and actively pushing forward cross-Strait ties. "We appreciate your clear-cut attitude in this regard," said Hu.

Cross-Strait relations had witnessed important progress and a historic turning point recently, which served the common interests and aspirations of the compatriots across the Strait, and were also welcomed by the international community, he added.

"At present, the cross-Strait ties are facing an important and historic opportunity for development. We should firmly grasp the theme of peaceful development of the cross-Strait ties, adhere to the correct direction, widen the development path, and open new prospects for the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations," said Hu.

Hu hoped the CPC and KMT, as well as both sides across the Taiwan Strait, would intensify exchanges and dialogue, enhance political mutual trust, and push forward the cross-Strait ties for new progress.

"We should continue to follow the approaches of putting aside difficult issues, and making economic issues the priority in advancing the cross-Strait consultation, and strive to launch the consultation process for a cross-Strait economic cooperation framework agreement within this year," Hu said.

Both sides should also create favorable conditions for jointly making a breakthrough in the thorny political issues in the future, he said.