Famous Taiwan writer and cultural figure Li Ao stressed here Monday that there is an unprecedented good chance for China's development and urged the country to grasp it.

"Not only China, but also its people, culture and the characters, are experiencing an advantageous opportunity that has never been seen in the past," said the 70-year-old author during his one-hour lecture at the prestigious Fudan University.

Li, who arrived here Sunday for his second leg on the 10-day "Chinese culture trip" after visiting Beijing, cited the phrase "Chinaman's chance" born during the gold rush in America, implying that Chinese people used to have slim chances of development.

The writer, who left Shanghai for Taiwan at the age of 13, recalled the bitter life of his countrymen more than five decades ago and called on the Chinese to cherish the current good opportunity, highlighting the significance of a strong and prosperous homeland.

Li highly hailed the felicity of Chinese wording and phrasing and the dulcet atmosphere of the language, pointing out that it is not so hard to learn Chinese with the help of computer science.

Patriotism and professionals "can create a paradise" together, said Li, who is also a member of Taiwan's legislature and a staunch supporter of China's unification.

Li's trip was among a series of activities that the mainland has pushed actively for closer exchanges between the Communist Party of China and three political parties in Taiwan, namely the Kuomintang, the People First Party and the New Party, and exchanges in many other sectors.

Li's exposure in Beijing has become a boon for his popularity as an eloquent and passionate speaker.
 
(Xinhua News Agency September 27, 2005)