BEIJING (AP) – China’s president called Saturday for closer business ties with Taiwan to help squelch the self-ruled island’s pro-independence movement as he met with a former Taiwanese opposition leader. “We sincerely hope the compatriots across the strait will closely join hands to push forward the personnel, economic and cultural exchanges to curb Taiwanese independence activities and maintain peace across the Taiwan Strait,” Hu said in comments shown on state television.

Mr. Hu and Lien Chan, honorary chairman of Taiwan’s Nationalist Party, were shown shaking hands warmly and chatting before the start of the event. The official Xinhua News Agency said they would discuss possible direct travel links between Taiwan and the mainland.

China and Taiwan split in 1949 amid civil war but Beijing claims the island as its own territory. They have no official relations and few direct trade and travel links but Taiwanese companies have invested more than $100 billion in the mainland.

Mr. Hu mentioned no possible new initiatives to promote direct ties with Taiwan.

Beijing has been nurturing relations with Taiwan’s opposition in hopes of isolating Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian. Chen’s party favors making Taiwan’s de facto independence permanent, a step the communist mainland says would lead to war.

Taiwan bars most direct airline flights and shipping for fear its giant neighbor could use them as cover for an invasion. Beijing regularly threatens to invade the island if it pursue independence or delays talks on unification.

“Practice has shown that the separation causes harm to both sides and unification brings a win-win situation,” Mr. Hu said. “We should curb the Taiwanese secessionist forces so as to maintain peace across the Taiwan Strait.”

Mr. Lien called for “consultation instead of confrontation” and more commercial and travel links.

“The power to promote cross-strait relations is still strong,” he said.

This week, Taiwan embarrassed Beijing by backing out of plans to have the torch for the 2008 Beijing Olympics carried across the island as part of a worldwide relay.

Analysts said Chen might have taken the step to appeal to pro-independence supporters. Beijing says it wants to take the torch through every part of the country, and keeping it out of Taiwan could suggest the island is not part of China.

Also this week, China criticized plans by the Caribbean nation of St. Lucia to open diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

Beijing and Taipei compete for diplomatic relations as symbolic support of their positions. Most governments recognize Beijing but have extensive informal ties with Taiwan. The island has formal relations with only a handful of nations.

The Nationalists ruled a united China before 1949 and were the communists’ enemies in the civil war. But the two sides have found common cause in their opposition to formal Taiwanese independence.

In 2005, Mr. Lien toured the mainland as Nationalist chairman, becoming the highest-ranking Taiwanese figure to visit since the civil war.