TAIPEI : The chairman of Taiwan's incoming ruling Kuomintang (KMT) is planning to visit China on an invitation from Chinese President Hu Jintao, the party said Saturday.

"Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung will give condolences on behalf of the KMT and Taiwan over the devastating earthquake in China. He also hopes to build mutual trust ... to help resume negotiations for the interests of people on both sides," said KMT secretary general Wu Den-yi.

Dates and details of the trip have yet to be finalised, he added.

Wu would become the island's first ruling party chief to visit China as president-elect Ma Ying-jeou takes office on Tuesday.

Taiwan is set to undergo significant political changes that look likely to see a new era in relations with rival China.

Ma won a crushing victory over the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's candidate Frank Hsieh in the March 22 vote that ushered the China-friendly KMT back into power after eight years.

Since then, vice president-elect Vincent Siew and former KMT chairman Lien Chan have travelled to the mainland and met Hu, and Taiwan's incoming chief negotiator with China has also flown over.

Ma's incoming government is eyeing July 4 for the start of weekend direct charter flights cross the Taiwan Strait and also plans to let in more mainland tourists and allow wider convertibility of the Chinese yuan.

Lien became the first KMT leader to visit the mainland in 56 years when he met Hu in 2005 to formally end hostilities with the communists.

Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war and Beijing still claims the island as part of its territory awaiting reunification. - AFP/ms