The head of Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang is upbeat over the island gaining observer status in the World Health Assembly in May.
'There should be progress in May and talks through a certain channel have been going on,' Wu Poh-hsiung said yesterday.
Mr Wu declined to name the channel, but stressed the KMT was not holding talks with the mainland.
Taiwanese authorities, especially the KMT, have been keen on seeing the island join the assembly as an observer, which would pave the way for it to become a member of the World Health Organisation.
Taiwan has been fighting for observer status in the decision-making body of the WHO for years, but because of strong opposition from the mainland the island's efforts have been in vain. Beijing sees Taiwan as its territory and has denied it sovereignty status. The cross-strait tension brought by pro-independence leaning Chen Shui-bian when he was president from 2000 to last year made it even more difficult for Taiwan to gain the status.
Mr Wu's comments came a day after Xinhua said Beijing would permit Taiwan to have direct contact with the WHO, though it did not elaborate how.
Mr Wu said that since Ma Ying-jeou of the mainland-friendly KMT became president in May, relations between the two sides have been warming, giving rise to hopes of an increased international presence for the island.