Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA) showed sincerity from the Chinese mainland, said Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, here Tuesday.

Taiwan's participation in the WHA indicated Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Straits have the ability and wisdom to properly solve issues concerning the island's participation in activities of international institutions, he said at a meeting with visiting Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung.

Hu said it also demonstrated the mainland's sincerity in pushing forward the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations.

"We hope it is conducive to promoting Taiwan compatriots' understanding on the mainland and to the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations," he said.

Chinese Taipei health authorities attended the 62nd World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer from May 18 to 27 at the invitation of the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan.

The WHA is the supreme decision-making body for the WHO. It is usually attended by delegates from all 193 members each May in Geneva.

Wu arrived in Beijing Monday for an eight-day visit to the mainland.

(Xinhua News Agency May 26, 2009)