Beijing - Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday hailed recent improvements in cross-strait relations as he met the head of Taiwan's ruling Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), Wu Poh-hsiung, in Beijing.

The warming of ties between Taiwan and mainland China over the past year was "welcomed and supported widely by international society," state media quoted Hu, who also leads China's ruling Communist Party, as saying.

In a joint statement following the meeting, the two sides said they had achieved "important progress" on cross-strait issues and vowed to "intensify mutual trust."

They promised to start negotiations on an economic cooperation agreement as soon as possible and promote exchanges in culture and education, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

"Both sides held that they should avoid internal struggle in foreign affairs and work for the interests of all Chinese," the agency quoted the statement as saying.

Hu said a landmark meeting between the two party leaders last May had "enhanced the political foundation of the two parties' exchanges, increased cross-strait political mutual-trust, and played an important leading role in pushing cross-strait relations to realize a historic transition."

Wu and Hu were also scheduled to discuss the fifth forum between the two parties to be held in July.

The inter-party forum has become an important channel of communication between Taiwan and China in the absence of formal ties between the two countries.

Before leaving Taiwan on Monday, Wu said he would tell China's leaders that the people of Taiwan "want peace, dignity and international space", referring to Taiwan's participation in international organizations.

Wu and his delegation will travel to Chongqing, Hangzhou and Nanjing on their eight-day visit to China.

Taiwan-China ties have improved rapidly since President Ma Ying- jeou from the KMT took office last May. Ma won a landslide victory in the presidential election on the platform of seeking peace with China and reviving Taiwan's economy. (dpa)