XI'AN, China, May 5, SPA -- The second Taiwanese opposition leaderto visit China in less than a week arrived Thursday amid aflurry of Chinese efforts to build ties with groups thatwant to unite Taiwan with the communist mainland. James Soong, head of Taiwan's second-largest oppositionparty, the People First Party, said he hoped to easetensions between the two sides, which split in 1949 andhave no official relations. Soong began his visit in the western city of Xi'an, anancient imperial capital, and was to fly to Beijing nextweek to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao. Soong was met at the airport by Chen Yunlin, head of theCommunist Party's Taiwan Work Office. In an arrival statement, he said "I am here looking for myroots, and I want to build a bridge for the future." The Associated Press said Soong affirmed his party's opposition to Taiwan independence. The party "has always believed that Taiwan independenceis not the choice of Taiwanese people," he said. "That isthe unshakable stance of our party." Lien Chan, chairman of Taiwan's biggest opposition group,the Nationalist Party, left Tuesday after making thehighest-level mainland visit by a Taiwanese politicalfigure since 1949. Lien met Hu last week in the first contact in decadesbetween the two factions whose civil war split China.--SPA1239 Local Time 0939 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/260107