Liu Jieyi (R), director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, meets with former Kuomintang (KMT) Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu, in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, April 4, 2018. Hung Hsiu-chu came to Xi'an to attend a ceremony paying homage to Huangdi, also known as the Yellow Emperor, regarded as one common ancestor for all Chinese. (Xinhua)

XI'AN, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs chief Wednesday called on both sides across the Taiwan Strait to work together for the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and peaceful reunification of the motherland.

Liu Jieyi, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, met Hung Hsiu-chu, former Kuomintang (KMT) chairwoman, and Yok Mu-ming, chairman of Taiwan's New Party, respectively in the northwestern city of Xi'an.

Hung and Yok were in Xi'an to attend a ceremony paying homage to Huangdi, also known as the Yellow Emperor, regarded as one common ancestor for all Chinese.

At the meetings, Liu expressed appreciation for the effort made by Taiwan's organizations and politicians, including Hung and Yok, to uphold the one-China principle and oppose "Taiwan independence."

He expressed the hope that people from all walks of life on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait to work together for the greater national interest.