Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou Monday gave thanks to the mainland for its relief support for the island's storm victims in a new sign that Taiwan is pushing for closer cross-Straits ties.

The mainland has donated 1,000 prefabricated houses and about 5 billion New Taiwan dollars (US$152 million), the largest sum of relief that the island has received, Ma said.

It proves that the bond between the two sides is like blood, which is "thicker than water," he said.

He made the statement at a memorial service in southern Taiwan's Kaohsiung city for victims killed by Typhoon Morakot, the worst storm to hit the island in 50 years.

Typhoon Morakot killed an estimated 670 people when it slammed into Taiwan between Aug 8-9, triggering floods and mudslides in and around some 40 villages.

Ma took a position of thankfulness after Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of the island's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) and the island's chief negotiator with the mainland, said that the Taiwan society owed a sincere "thank you" to the mainland.

Chiang said the mainland has been offering great kindness and help to the island since the natural disaster struck Taiwan.

"The Taiwan government and people should treat the mainland's kindness and care with gratitude but neither top government leaders nor the public on the island have fully expressed their thanks for the mainland," he was quoted as saying by Taipei-based Want Daily.

He said cross-Straits ties were strained when Taiwan allowed the Dalai Lama to visit.

Invited by the opposition Democratic Progressive Party, the Dalai Lama made a five-day visit last week to offer his condolences to storm victims.

Chiang said he was told by Ma's core staff that approving Dalai's visit was a "tough and painstaking decision."

"I think both sides have showed a remarkable degree of restraint over this matter," he said.

The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council had expressed "resolute opposition" to the Dalai Lama's trip. On the Taiwan side, senior officials from Ma's ruling Kuomintang party avoided meeting with Dalai, and Dalai's activity was strictly limited to religious purposes.

Chiang reportedly said the mainland has pared down or canceled some cross-Straits events to express its disapproval. But he said he believes this won't be an issue as long as both sides understand and respect each other.

"The improving of cross-Straits relations cannot be smooth forever and it should be protected and cherished by both sides," he said.

Chiang said the regular meeting scheme has been normal between the SEF and its mainland counterpart, Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits.

He said that the meeting with Chen Yunlin, the mainland's top negotiator on Taiwan affairs, will be held on the island this October at the earliest.

Su Ning, vice governor of the People's Bank of China, arrived in Taiwan yesterday, with a 22-member mainland financial delegation. He said he was originally scheduled to land in Taiwan last week, but postponed the trip due to Dalai's visit to the island, the Taipei-based Central News Agency reported.

(China Daily September 8, 2009)