The Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs chief Wang Yi (R) meets with Master Hsing Yun, founder of the Taiwan-based Fo Guang Shan Monastery, in Beijing, China, May 14, 2010. (Xinhua/Wang Yongji)

BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs chief Wang Yi met with Master Hsing Yun, founder of the Taiwan-based Fo Guang Shan Monastery here Friday.

Master Hsing Yun has played a "special and positive role" in promoting exchanges across the Taiwan Strait, said Wang, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office.

Wang hoped the mainland and Taiwan could continue to work together to push forward the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties, promote Chinese culture, and work for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Master Hsing Yun, one of the island's most influential Buddhist masters, said during the meeting that people across the Strait are a family and are all Chinese.

The two sides should enhance exchanges, narrow differences gradually, and carry forward the Chinese culture so as to create a bright future for the Chinese nation, he said.