Wang Yi, the mainland official in charge of Taiwan affairs, met Sunday with a group of Taiwan guests, including Chairman of Taiwan's People First Party James Soong, who are here to attend the closing ceremony of the Shanghai World Expo.

The Shanghai World Expo is a grand event for all Chinese People including people of Taiwan, said Wang, who heads both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

Wang said the success of the Expo was partly due to the contribution of the people of Taiwan.

The mainland official spoke highly of the Taiwan Pavilion at the Expo, which was established under new circumstances as the cross-Strait relationship has improved.

The pavilion gave mainland visitors an opportunity to feel Taiwan, he added.

Wang called Taiwan's successful participation in the Shanghai World Expo "a model for cooperation across the Taiwan Strait."

He also wished Taipei a successful hosting of the forthcoming Taipei International Flora Expo, which will be held from Nov. 6, 2010, to April 25, 2011.

Soong congratulated the Shanghai Expo's organizers, saying the Expo was a glorious event for all Chinese people.

"We can jointly seek a beautiful future for the Chinese Nationality as long as we believe both the mainland and Taiwan belong to the same China."