If the (Chinese) leaders so wish, I am willing to invite them here to sip tea and chat

Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian

But correspondents say it is not yet clear which members of the president's Democratic Progressive party (DPP) will travel to China or whether they will be acceptable to Beijing.

China has been deeply suspicious of President Chen because he and his party have favoured formal independence for Taiwan.

But in January, Beijing signalled a softer line on Taiwan, saying it would welcome visits from DPP members who were not separatists.

Mr Chen's comments come two days after he said there was little expectation of any breakthroughs in cross-strait relations when China's leader-in-waiting, Hu Jintao, takes power.

Mr Hu is expected to become China's Communist party leader in the autumn, and then take over the presidency when President Jiang Zemin retires next year.

Direct links

"The first step to resume talks is to exchange visits," the Taiwan leader said during a televised speech.

Mr Chen also promised to expand the "three mini links" which Taipei launched in January last year which allow direct transport, commerce and postal exchanges between Taiwan's Jinmen and Matsu islets and ports on the Chinese mainland.

Taiwan banned all direct links with China after the two sides were divided by China's civil war in 1949 that saw the Communists take power.

Although Mr Chen said two days ago that it was "very difficult to have excessive expectations "of a breakthrough in relations if Mr Hu takes over as China's leader, he told reporters: "I hope the new leader can open his mind and accept Taiwan's goodwill.

"If the (Chinese) leaders so wish, I am willing to invite them here to sip tea and chat."

Mr Chen has made attempts to woo China since his election, while China has hinted at war if Taiwan pushes for independence.