The vice-chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT), the Nationalist Party of China, visited the Guangzhou Huanghuagang Martyr Cemetery on Tuesday morning.

 

 

Chiang Pin-Kun and his delegation had arrived in Guangzhou the previous afternoon, marking the KMT's first formal visit to the mainland since the group fled to Taiwan in 1949.

 

When Dr Sun Yat-sen, founder of the KMT, led the Huanghuagang Uprising in Guangzhou to overthrow the rule of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) in April 1911, 86 of his allies were slain.

 

 

 

A commemorative park was later constructed to mark the graves of 72 of those killed in Huanghuagang, in Guangzhou's Dongshan District.

 

The time around the traditional Chinese Qingming Festival, on April 5, is when people visit their ancestors’ final resting places to pay their respects during what is commonly known as the "grave sweeping" festival.

 

Built in 1912, the park covers an area of over 129,000 square meters. On its main gate are four Chinese characters "Hao Qi Chang Cun," which means imperishable noble spirit.

 

They were written by Sun, pioneer of the Chinese revolution and founding father of the republic. He died in 1925 at the age of 59.

 

Some of those buried at the cemetery are the famous revolutionary martyrs Pan Dawei, Deng Zhongyuan, Yang Xianyi, Feng Ru and Shi Jianru.

 

In 1986, the park was listed for protection as a key historical site by the State Council.

 

Chiang has expressed hope that his visit to the mainland will ease cross-Strait tensions, as well as promoting economic ties.

 

He said he was particularly keen to help farmers in Taiwan sell more agricultural produce to the vast mainland market.

 

Currently, Taiwan's annual agricultural sales to the mainland are worth around US$300 million while its agricultural imports from other provinces, municipalities and regions comes to US$500 million.

 

Spurred by successful direct charter flights over Spring Festival, Chiang said he would be discussing the possibility of providing more charter flights across the Straits during traditional festivals and even at weekends to meet growing demand on both sides.

 

He said he wanted to negotiate direct cargo transport links, benefiting Taiwan's investors who have set up manufacturing facilities on the mainland and who "can waste no time in getting their products to the mainland’s markets," Chiang said.

 

In remarks made on Monday to the governor of Guangdong, Huang Huahua, Chiang hinted that KMT Chairman Lien Chan also wants to visit the mainland later this year to discuss possible expansion of economic ties.

 

Before leaving Guangzhou for Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Chiang met local representatives of Taiwan investors, to discuss ways of smoothing business across the straits.

 

(Chinadaily.com.cn March 30, 2005)