The Communist Party of China's (CPC) top cross-Straits affairs official is set to attend a forum in Taipei in October.

If his visit is approved, Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the CPC Central Committee, will become the most senior mainland official to visit Taiwan since 1949.

Yesterday the office said Chen had accepted an invitation from Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party, and planned to attend an agricultural forum in Taipei.

Chen "will head a delegation to the Cross-Straits Agricultural Cooperation Forum," which is aimed at "enhancing cross-Straits agricultural cooperation for a win-win situation of mutual benefit," a statement from the office said.

The delegation will comprise of more than 60 officials, including members of the Taiwan Affairs Office, heads of trade associations and agricultural enterprises and scholars.

"The Taiwan authorities... should positively handle (the issue) in a pragmatic way and offer any necessary assistance," the Taiwan Affairs Office said.

However, it remains uncertain whether the visit will be approved by Taiwan's pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration.

The administration turned down Chen's planned visit to Taipei for a forum on cross-Straits economy and culture in December.

Chang Jung-kung, deputy director of the KMT's policy committee, said on Tuesday that his party will file an application for Chen's visit as soon as possible. But the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), Taiwan's top body in charge of cross-Straits affairs, yesterday refused to comment on the possible visit, saying it has yet to receive an application.

The KMT has made preliminary plans to hold the forum on October 14 and 15, according to Taiwanese news reports.

The mainland delegation, headed by Chen who is also minister of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council would visit Taiwan's southern and central regions after the forum, before leaving the island on October 18, the reports said.

The forum is sponsored by the KMT think tank the "National Foundation for Policy Research" and the Cross-Straits Relations Research Center of the Taiwan Affairs Office.

It will focus on three topics the opportunities and challenges of entry into the World Trade Organization, how the mainland and Taiwan should cooperate in agriculture, and the problems and solutions of such cooperation.

(China Daily August 3, 2006)