BEIJING, April 30 (Xinhuanet) -- Public opinion on both sides of the Taiwan Straits sang high praises of Friday's meeting between top leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party, calling it "an important step in the correct direction" and "a sign of peace" for cross-Straits relations.

　　General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Hu Jintao and visiting KMT Chairman Lien Chan from Taiwan held a meeting Friday in Beijing to formally end inter-party feud originated from a civil war nearly six decades ago, and decided on ways to promote the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations.

　　"The two parties have decided to jointly promote developments in five aspects, which holds the promise of resolving the urgent issues in cross-Strait relations and guiding the relations towards a track of positive interaction," says an editorial of Saturday's Beijing News newspaper.

　　The five aspects of work, outlined in a press communique issued after the Hu-Lien meeting, include promoting the earlier restoration of cross-Straits talks, the formal end of the state of hostility across the Straits, all-round economic cooperation and trade across the Straits, the discussions about Taiwan's participation in international activities, and the establishment of a platform for regular exchanges between the two parties.

　　"The two sides across the Straits should step into a virtuous cycle of cooperation, rather than slump into a vicious cycle of confrontation," says the press communique.

　　Anthony C.A. Wong, president of Hong Kong Region China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification, said the Friday meeting opened "a gate of hope" to the Taiwan business community. If the consensus reached during the meeting can be put into practice, it will be a stimulus for Taiwan enterprises and help push the Taiwan economy on a sound development track.

　　Suen Cheung Mou, general director of the Alumni Association of Huang Pu Military Academy of Hong Kong, said he felt "the warm air of spring" from the meeting.

　　"The meeting is successful to both sides. It is a win-win communication, which reflects a breakthrough in the mainland policy towards Taiwan," said Suen, who has been a member of the KMT for about 62 years.

　　The Taiwan-based "Central Daily News" said in its editorial that it was obvious both parties were pursuing a peaceful development of cross-Straits relations. Based on the principles set forth in the meeting, the end of cross-Straits hostility, establishment of a mechanism of military mutual trust and a peace accord between the two sides across the Taiwan Straits could be realized smoothly.

　　An editorial of the Taiwan-based "China Times" says the Friday meeting has set the "peaceful tone" for the development of cross-Straits relations.

　　Hu Lingwei, a researcher with the Shanghai-based East Asia Studies Institute, said the meeting provided an opportunity for both parties to exchange views and convey to each other the expectations of people on both sides.

　　"It facilitates communications between people on both sides of the Straits," said Hu.

　　On the bulletin boards of China's popular news website www.Xinhuanet.com, netizens have left more than 70,000 messages that overwhelmingly applauded the meeting between Hu and Lien.

　　"That's a historic handshake. It calls forth the first twilight of peace in the Taiwan Straits. It's truly a blessing for the Chinese nation," says one of the messages.

　　Zhu Weidong, a researcher of the Taiwan issue with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the meeting reflected "new thinking" of the two parties and conformed with the wishes of the absolute majority of people on both sides. "It has injected new vitality in cross-Straits relations" and will surely guide the atmosphere and direction of the future development of cross-Straits relations, Zhu added.

　　"The will of the people shall not be violated," said Zhu. "The train of reconciliation in cross-Straits relations has started. The Taiwan authorities should see clearly the situation and conform with the trend."

　　The KMT party ruled China before 1949. It fled to the island province of Taiwan after losing a civil war to the CPC. It's now the largest opposition party in Taiwan.