The mainland's top travel administrator presided over the opening in Taipei Friday of a breakthrough tourism office, the first agency of any kind established by the mainland in Taiwan.

Shao Qiwei, director of Beijing-based National Tourism Administration, officiated at the inaugural ceremony of the Beijing-based Cross-Straits Tourism Association's (CSTA) Taipei office in his capacity as president of the association.

Shao kept a low profile on his arrival in Taiwan earlier in the day, saying he will meet old friends and forge new friendships during his visit.

On Tuesday, the CSTA's Taiwanese counterpart - the Taiwan Strait Tourism Association (TSTA) - also opened a representative office in Beijing to promote travel in Taiwan to potential mainland tourists.

The exchange of offices of the two organizations is expected to offer cross-Straits travelers more and better services, Shao said.

The two associations serve as quasi-official intermediary bodies to handle cross-Straits tourist exchanges in the absence of official ties.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 05/08/2010 page4)