A senior Chinese mainland Taiwan affairs official on Wednesday said the mainland "had noticed" media reports saying the former pro-independence leader of the island, Lee Tung-hui, is looking forward to visiting the mainland.

But Yang Yi, spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, would give no further comment at a press conference on the mainland's attitude towards Lee's plan.

Senior Kuomintang official Wang Jin-pyng was also reported to be planning a mainland visit after the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 18 this year. Wang is the president of the "Legislative Yuan" of Taiwan, or the island's top legislature.

"We are willing to communicate with any individual or group from Taiwan, as long as they uphold the 'one-China' principle, and acknowledge the 1992 Consensus (agreement signed by both sides saying they should seek common ground while reserving differences under the prerequisite of recognizing there is only one China)," Yang said, adding the mainland's attitude on the issue was consistent and clear.

(Xinhua News Agency January 31, 2007)