BEIJING - Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping on Thursday called for enhanced cooperation between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Kuomintang (KMT) in a bid to continue to promote the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations.

They made the remarks in separate replies to messages sent by KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou.

In the message to Hu on Thursday, Ma hailed Hu's important contributions to improving relations across the Taiwan Straits.

Ma also sent a congratulatory message on Thursday to Xi, who was elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee at the first plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee on Thursday.

In a reply to Ma's message, Hu said that with the joint efforts of the two political parties, a series of important achievements have been made in the peaceful development of cross-Straits ties in recent years.

Hu said he hoped the two political parties could enhance cooperation and continue to consolidate and deepen the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, keep working for the interests of compatriots across the Straits and rejuvenate the Chinese nation.

Xi said in a reply to Ma's message that cross-Straits relations are currently taking on a good momentum of peaceful development.

Xi expressed the hope that the two parties could seize the historic opportunity, deepen mutual trust and consolidate the political, economic, cultural, and social foundation for the peaceful development of cross-Straits ties in order to promote the continued peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and jointly create a bright future for the Chinese nation.

Ma said in his messages that the two parties have followed the 1992 Consensus and maintained stability across the Taiwan Straits in the past ten years.

The region is in its most peaceful and stable situation in the past 60 years, Ma said.

Ma said he hoped the two parties could enhance mutual trust and cooperate sincerely to achieve more in terms of expanding and deepening exchanges and enabling organizations to set up offices on each other's side so as to benefit people across the Straits.

Honorary KMT chairmen Lien Chan and Wu Po-hsiung also sent messages to Hu and Xi, respectively, on Thursday. Hu and Xi expressed their gratitude in their replies.