Chinese mainland scholars say KMT Chairman Lien Chan's mainland visit will benefit relations across the Taiwan Straits and urge the Taiwan authorities to support the move.

"Lien's visit opens a new channel for cross-Straits dialogue, namely direct dialogue between top leaders of political parties on both sides," said Huang Jiashu, professor of the Beijing-based People's University.

"The visit will facilitate mutual understanding between the two parties and the people on both sides of the Straits," he said.

The delegation of the Kuomintang (KMT) party led by Lien Chan will visit the mainland from April 26 to May 3 at the invitation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and its General Secretary Hu Jintao.

Huang said although the KMT is not the ruling party in Taiwan, it holds a considerable number of seats in the "legislature" of Taiwan and rules some counties and cities. It is an important political force in Taiwan.

"Therefore, if the dialogue between the CPC and the KMT produces consensus in principle about concerns of the Taiwan compatriots, it will surely help to ease and promote cross-Straits relations," Huang said.

He urged the Taiwan authorities to approve content of any possible consensus that would benefit the Taiwan compatriots and use executive power to push forward the implementation.

"If the Taiwan authorities controlled by the Democratic Progressive Party DPP) could positively and pragmatically seek to ease and develop the cross-Straits relations, they will also win scores from the people on both sides of the Straits," said Huang.

He said mainland visits by the KMT and the coming visit by the People First Party (PFP) have met with approval of the majority ofthe Taiwan compatriots and public opinions in the world.

"This shows the easing and developing of the cross-Straits relations conform with the interests of Taiwan, the Taiwan people and expectations of the international community," said Huang.

"The DPP should ponder seriously which path Taiwan should pursue. I hope it will choose a new road other than 'Taiwan independence'," Huang said.

Xu Bodong, director of the Taiwan Research Institute under the Beijing Union University, said Lien Chan's visit is a major event in relations between the CPC and the KMT and also a major event inthe cross-Straits relations.

"The people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits will benefit from their joint efforts to work for peace across the Taiwan Straits," said Xu. "They will turn a new page in inter-party relations and cross-Straits relations."