Jia Qinglin (R, back), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), meets with Wu Poh-Hsiung (L, back), honorary chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT) Party, and other attendees of the eighth Cross-Strait Economic, Trade and Culture Forum in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, July 27, 2012. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

HARBIN -- Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), on Friday met with Wu Poh-Hsiung, honorary chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT) Party and other attendees of the eighth Cross-Strait Economic, Trade and Culture Forum.

Jia extended his welcome to Wu and conveyed greetings from Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

Cross-Strait relations have entered a new era of development since the first Cross-Strait Economic, Trade and Culture Forum was held in 2006, said Jia.

"We will maintain the continuity and stability of our policies regarding Taiwan and continue to strengthen the political, economic, cultural and social foundations for the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations," he said.

Wu Poh-Hsiung said the KMT has always opposed "Taiwanese independence," adding that the 1992 Consensus is the foundation for cross-Strait negotiations.

The eighth Cross-Strait Economic, Trade and Culture Forum is scheduled to be held in Harbin on Saturday and Sunday. Attendees will discuss cross-Strait economic and trade cooperation, as well as cultural and educational exchanges, according to the organizers.

The forum, initiated in 2006, is sponsored by the CPC and the KMT.