Wu Poh-hsiung, chairman of the Nationalist Party, will make a six-day trip to China, the first by the head of a ruling Taiwanese party.

The Nationalists fought a bloody civil war with the Chinese communists on the mainland, and their defeated forces fled and resettled in Taiwan in 1949.

The ice was first broken in 2005 when then-Chairman Lien Chan of the Nationalist Party _ the biggest opposition party at the time _ made a historic visit to China. During a meeting with Lien, Hu agreed to expand farm imports and tourism with Taiwan.

Relations have further warmed since the Nationalists' Ma Ying-jeou was elected president in March. He took office last Tuesday.

Ma has pledged to seek economic engagement with China and end nearly six decades of hostilities, a platform that played well with voters following eight years of a confrontational approach by ex-President Chen Shui-bian.

Beijing stalled on launching direct air links and expanding tourism out of anger over Chen's pro-independence stance. China has pledged reunification with the self-governed island and threatened to attack if Taiwan seeks a permanent break.

On Saturday, Ma told Wu to urge the Chinese government to quickly sanction tourism to Taiwan and weekend direct flights to facilitate the travel. But he also made it clear Wu must not discuss the thorny issue of Taiwan's sovereign status or unification.

Most Taiwanese reject reunification, fearing it would force them to lose their freedoms and economic prosperity.