Wang Yi, the Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs chief, called for joint efforts with the island on Tuesday to promote cross-Straits ties.

Wang, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a meeting with Yang Chiu-hsing, the former chief of Kaohsiung county in southern Taiwan.

Wang said that the mainland's Taiwan policy was suitable for all the people of Taiwan, including those in the central and southern region.

"The mainland remains open to Taiwan for exchanges and cooperation," Wang said, welcoming more Taiwanese to visit the mainland to deepen mutual understanding and cooperation.

The fruits of the peaceful development of cross-Straits ties should be shared by people from both sides, he noted.

Wang applauded Yang's mainland tour, saying that the former Kaohsiung county chief was taking practical action to support the peaceful growth of cross-Straits ties and to promote cooperation between central and southern Taiwan and the mainland.

"We welcome Yang to join in the historical trend of peaceful development of cross-Straits relations," Wang said.

Yang noted that Taiwanese people, including those in the island's southern region, love peace and hope to see people-to-people exchanges and a peaceful and stable relationship with the mainland.

The peaceful, pragmatic and harmonious ties across the Straits would benefit people from both sides, Yang said, hoping that the two sides would put aside prejudices and disputes to seek common ground while reserving differences to achieve mutually beneficial results.

Yang expected the two sides to enhance cooperation in sectors such as culture, agriculture, tourism and disaster prevention.