'The current cross-strait relations can be said to be facing unprecedented circumstances. As full-blooded Chinese people, we must not seek to continue this stalemate,' Mr Lien said after arriving in the ancient capital, the third stop on his so-called 'journey of peace'.

His comments came as Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party lashed out over Mr Lien's meeting with Communist Party General Secretary Hu Jintao on Friday.

But Mr Lien, 69, insisted his motivation was to prevent war between the mainland and Taiwan.

In a speech at Houzaimen Primary School, where he studied, he told teachers, parents and children that peace must be cherished.

'For people who have undergone war, seeing young people going to the front line, bleeding or being injured or dying, we know the value of peace and love peace,' said Mr Lien, who as a child at the school had to flee Japanese bombs.

He also explained how his grandfather had gone to Xian to flee the Japanese colonisation of Taiwan and how he was given the name Chan, which means battle.

'My grandfather said that if I was a boy, I must have the name of [battle] because we Chinese must fight the Japanese and stop the enemy from winning,' he said. 'So I have been fighting up to now.

'Since I grew up in such a family, naturally I have a strong feeling for the nation. There is no way I can change that.'

KMT spokesman Chang Jung-kung said the meeting between Mr Lien and Mr Hu could lead to a scaling back of the military threat to Taiwan.

'What we have done is try to set up a framework under which technical issues such as the removal of ballistic missiles [pointing at the island] would be discussed,' Mr Chang said.

Su Chi, the KMT's chief mainland strategist, highlighted the prospect of a peace accord with Beijing.

'The mainland authorities have for the first time said they would like to sign a peace agreement,' he said. 'The mainland did not mention such wording as 'unification' and 'one country, two systems' during the meeting. This is also a kind of overture.'

Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian has yet to directly comment on Mr Lien's visit, but reports said he would on Tuesday.

Chen Wen-tzung, a spokesman for Mr Chen's office, reiterated that Beijing must have direct talks with Taipei to break the impasse.

'We have time and again stressed that cross-strait problems can only be resolved through government-to-government dialogue and consultations,' he said.

The economic and political sweeteners offered by the mainland to Mr Lien were nothing but a 'united front' ploy.

The Chen government insists it will not recognise any agreement reached by Mr Lien with Beijing as he does not have authorisation from the government. Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council feared a communique issued on Friday that included proposals to promote economic co-operation might have broken the law.