The beauty of Taiwan's Ali Mountain and Sun Moon Lake was alluring enough for Premier Wen Jiabao to think of visiting the island, he said during his press conference on Friday.

"Taiwan is the treasure island of China, and is a place I always look forward to visiting. Although I am 67 years old, if it is possible, I would like to go to Taiwan. Even if I am too old to walk, I will crawl," an emotional Wen said while answering questions raised by a Taiwan-based Central News Agency journalist.

"I want to visit the Ali Mountain, the Sun Moon Lake, walk around the island, and get to know the Taiwan compatriots," Wen said.

Wen also stressed the close and almost "indivisible" economic ties between the two sides, and said "we should step up cooperation to confront the financial crisis together".

As for Taiwan's participation in international organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO), Wen said the mainland was willing to consult with Taiwan on the issue "for the benefit of Taiwan compatriots".

People on both sides, especially those with businesses on the mainland, have long wished for closer cross-Straits economic cooperation.

Wen urged the two sides to promote financial cooperation in his government work report last week. The takes between Chen Yunlin and Chiang Pin-kung, the highest level semi-official meeting between the two sides scheduled to be held in the first half of the year, has also placed the issues of "financial cooperation" and "mainland assets entering Taiwan" high on the agenda.

Wen's statement perked up Taiwan's stock market, the Taiwan media reported on Friday.

Liu Chao-shiuan, a senior Taiwan official, said that Taiwan would be "happy" to receive leaders from the mainland. "But (visits) must be planned cautiously," he added.

Liu also said that he would be willing to visit the mainland if needed, but even that would have to be planned carefully.

A mainland CPPCC member and Taiwan-affairs official had said on Tuesday that Annette Lu, an outspoken former "vice-president" of the island, would get a warm welcome if she visited the mainland, more so if she "changed her pro-independence stance".

Taiwan was guaranteed direct access to WHO global health alerts in January, after the mainland consulted the WHO secretariat to make relevant arrangements to apply International Health Regulations (IHR) to Taiwan.

The Taiwan media considered the new arrangement with the IHR a breakthrough in its participation in international activity.

President Hu Jintao had issued six proposals to promote the peaceful development of cross-straits relations last year.

He had stressed that the mainland was willing to discuss proper and reasonable arrangements for the island's participation in international organizations so long as it did not create the impression that there were "two Chinas" or "one China and one Taiwan".

(China Daily March 14, 2009)