Li Weiyi, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said the Chinese mainland respects the decision of Ma Ying-jeou, chairman of Kuomintang (KMT), on when to visit the mainland.

When asked at a press briefing on Wednesday if the mainland would invite Ma for a meeting, Li said, "We respect Ma Ying-jeou's own decision on when to visit the Chinese mainland."

Lien Chan, Ma's predecessor, visited the mainland last year as chairman of the KMT. He met with President Hu Jintao. It was the first meeting between top leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and KMT in 60 years.