Related report: Soong visits mainland      

Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said Wednesday that the government of the United States will support any dialogue between China's mainland and Taiwan.

When delivering a speech on new world order, Kissinger said that it is not in the United States' strategic interests to separate Taiwan from China, noting that the US hopes the two sides will increase dialogue.

"Through the steps we have seen in the recent weeks, the peaceful reunification of China could be achieved," Kissinger said.

Lien Chan, chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) Party, at the invitation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and General Secretary Hu Jintao, led a KMT delegation to visit the mainland cities of Nanjing, Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai from April 26 to May 3, the first trip made by a KMT top leader since 1949 when the party lost a civil war and retreated to Taiwan.

James C. Y. Soong, chairman of People First Party (PFP), the second largest opposition party leader in Taiwan, is also visiting the mainland at Hu's invitation from May 5 to 13.

Kissinger said he is confident that both the US and China are committed to close relations, and therefore the US will welcome any dialogue between China's mainland and Taiwan.

Kissinger was here at the invitation of the China Institute for International Strategic Studies. He will also attend the Fortune forum to be held in Beijing from May 16 to 18.

Editor: Yan