Monday's meeting between Communist Party leader Xi Jinping and Lien Chan, honorary chairman of the Kuomintang, has been widely interpreted as a tone-setter for cross-Straits relations.

As Xi's first meeting with a Taiwan delegation in his current position, the meeting has naturally drawn wide attention both at home and overseas.

Xi stressed it is the governing party's duty to carry forward the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and the new leadership is committed to maintaining friendly ties with Taiwan and pursuing reunification of the motherland.