Visiting  Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan said in Shanghai on Monday that trade and economic relations across the Taiwan Straits are "at a crucial point", and encouraged Taiwan business people to seize business opportunities in the rapidly-developing mainland.

"Taiwan businesses are faced with a crucial moment for seizing market and business opportunities and striving for future development (in the mainland)," said Lien in a speech at a luncheon party in Shanghai, hosted by Taiwan business community in the mainland for the KMT leader and his 60-member party delegation.

Almost all major countries in the world today have targeted the mainland market and are seeking to enhance their international competitiveness and expand market by coming here, said Lien.

Under such circumstances, "if Taiwan remains in a closed mentality, we are quite likely to suffer much negative impact," he added.

(Xinhua News Agency May 2, 2005)