XIAMEN, May 16 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin met people of all circles from both sides of the Taiwan Straits attending the largest-yet unofficial cross-Straits forum Saturday afternoon.

    The week-long Straits Forum that kicked off on Saturday evening was attended by more than 8,000 Taiwan guests. It features 18 activities including a centerpiece conference, a trade fair, a cultural week, a tourism forum and a seminar on traditional Chinese medicine.

Jia Qinglin (R), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, meets with Chu Li-luan, vice chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang, in Xiamen, a coastal city in southeast China's Fujian Province, May 16, 2009. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) Photo Gallery>>>

    Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the top political advisory body, declared the opening of the forum at 8 p.m. Saturday.

    He said while receiving these guests in the afternoon that the forum, "a pageant for cross-Straits communication," had enjoyed the largest participation of people from all walks of life in Taiwan and had been the largest event of the kind.

Jia Qinglin (3rd L), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, meets with delegates from both sides of the Taiwan Straits to the Straits Forum in Xiamen, a coastal city in southeast China's Fujian Province, May 16, 2009. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) Photo Gallery>>>

    Jia said holding such a forum was a pioneering work in promoting unofficial cross-Straits exchanges. Different from the cross-Straits economic, trade and cultural forum held by the Communist Party of China and Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang (KMT) Party which mainly discusses policy issues, the Straits Forum deals with exchanges among the people.

    He hopes the forum could be an important platform promoting cross-Straits exchanges and attract more Taiwan compatriots to attend.

    Chu Li-lun, the KMT Party vice chairman, said the forum met the demand of people from both sides and development of cross-Straits relations, and that it included varied economic, cultural and folk custom activities.

    The forum is co-hosted by Xiamen and three other cities in Fujian, Fuzhou, Quanzhou and Putian.