James Soong, chairman of People First Party (PFP), said he expects his forthcoming visit to the Chinese mainland to promote the rejuvenation of China and enable people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits to gain mutual benefit and cooperation.
   
At a press conference held Wednesday in Taipei, Soong said he will adhere to the position of one China, the "1992 Consensus" and opposition to "Taiwan Independence."
   
He said he hoped his visit would benefit the stability of the Taiwan Straits and reach more detailed consensus with the mainland on the basis of the Chinese Kuomintang Party Chairman Lien Chan's recent visit to the mainland.
   
However, Soong said he is neither a "special envoy" nor a "message conveyer."
   
Soong is scheduled to leave for Xi'an on Thursday as the first leg of his forthcoming visit to the mainland, at the invitation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Hu Jintao, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

(Xinhua News Agency May 5, 2005)