Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Tuesday praised Taiwan's business people for promoting economic relations across the Taiwan Strait. 

Jia, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, said in a meeting with a delegation of business leaders from Taiwan Province that an early realization of the direct links of mail, trade and transport was the common aspiration and in the fundamental interests of Chinese on both sides of the strait.

The mainland always held the view that cross-strait economic cooperation should not be affected by political differences. "We'd like to do everything favorable to the fundamental interest of the compatriots on the two sides, to exchanges between the two sides, and to the goal of the great
rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," said Jia.

Jia said that the mainland would continue encouraging investment from Taiwan, by implementing the Law on the Protection of Investment by Compatriots from Taiwan, to protect the interests and rights of Taiwan business people.

Chen Yunlin, director of the Office of Taiwan Affairs of the State Council, attended the meeting.