Zheng Lizhong, executive deputy director of the CCP Central Committee Taiwan Affairs Office and State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, also executive vice-president of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits [ARATS], met Taichung Mayor Jason Hu, also chief of the first flight delegation from four counties and cities in central Taiwan, at Xiamen's Yuehua Hotel around midday on 7 July.

Zheng Lizhong said that he was entrusted by Taiwan Affairs Office Director Wang Yi and ARATS President Chen Yunlin to make a special trip to Xiamen to visit everyone there.

Zheng Lizhong appreciated the delegation of the four counties and cities from central Taiwan headed by Mayor Jason Hu and said that they had done their best to witness the history of chartered flights. Zheng Lizhong said: After traversing an arduous course, cross-Strait relations have now seen the light of dawn. Weekend chartered flights and mainland tourists visiting Taiwan, which had long been expected by both sides of the Strait, came true on 4 July. This signifies a good beginning in the development of cross-Strait relations.

Zheng Lizhong particularly mentioned Taiwan compatriots' donations offered in various forms after the Wenchuan earthquake struck, saying that this gives expression to the brotherly affection and compatriotic feeling between both sides of the Strait and indicates that the "feeling is of the same root, and blood is thicker than water."

Zheng Lizhong said: No matter how far we are separated from each other and how long the estrangement is, both sides of the Strait should join hands to seize the current hard-earned historic opportunity and undertake the heavy historic mission for cross- Strait peaceful development and the Chinese nation's prosperity and rejuvenation. Zheng Lizhong asked Jason Hu and his entourage to convey his deep feeling for Taiwan compatriots and hoped that they will visit the mainland more often in the future.

Jason Hu said: The deepest feeling we have had in Xiamen is kindheartedness and respect. Every detail has been well arranged in the reception for our visit and sightseeing. Taiwan businessmen and Taiwan compatriots on the mainland have all along been provided with good accommodation. All these will play a very useful role in the development of cross-Strait relations in the future.

Changhua County Commissioner Cho Po-yuan particularly thanked Zheng Lizhong and the Taiwan Affairs Office for making efforts to promptly contact a Changhua tourist group in Sichuan during the Wenchuan earthquake. In the meantime, he also thanked Sichuan local people for providing water and food and showing care for the Changhua tourist group during the earthquake in Sichuan.

After the meeting, members of the delegation of the four counties and cities from central Taiwan expressed satisfaction over the current tour and invited Zheng Lizhong to visit Taichung at an early date.

The four counties and cities' delegation headed by Jason Hu for the first weekend chartered flight left Xiamen for Taiwan on the afternoon of 7 July by Taiwan Standard Chinese Airlines weekend chartered flight.