A Kuomintang delegation from Tainan, Taiwan Province continued Sunday their five-day tour in Shenzhen, which started Friday.

Li Hongzhong, secretary of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the CPC, met the 38-member delegation led by Chuang Song-wang, leader of the KMT in Tainan, at the Wuzhou Guest House on Friday evening.

This was the first time for leaders of the CPC in Shenzhen and KMT in Tainan to meet, after General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Hu Jintao and Taiwan Kuomintang leader Lien Chan reached a consensus to have more regular meetings between the two parties in April this year, Li said.

"Today is a day of double happiness. We are very glad to have our compatriots from Tainan while we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the SEZ," said Li.

Shenzhen had more than 4,000 Taiwan-funded enterprises, with more than 50,000 Taiwan people living and working in the city, Li said.

"Taiwan compatriots contributed a lot to the city’s development," Li said. He hoped the two sides could have more exchanges to promote mutual understanding and expand cooperation.

The delegation also joined in a gala — "Glory and Dream" — to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the SEZ on Friday.

Delegation members were shown around the city at the weekend, including the Lotus Hill Park, Dafen Village and Shenzhen Special Zone Press Tower.

"Shenzhen is a city of fantasy. Our visit is only a beginning for more future exchanges and cooperation," said Chuang.

(Shenzhen Daily August 29, 2005)