Lien and his wife Fang Yu were scheduled to fly to the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang on Friday and meet his mother's relatives there, said his secretary Tan Chih-tung.

The former KMT chairman, who stepped down in August, would also visit Dalian, Qingdao, Yantai and Chengdu before returning to Taiwan on October 28, Tan said. He now serves as the party's emeritus chairman.

Lien on his April-May visit became the first KMT leader to visit the mainland in 56 years and met President Hu Jintao to formally end the hostilities between the communist party and the KMT, which once battled each other in a civil war.

They issued a statement in which both agreed to push for cross-strait talks and seek closer ties in trade, tourism and other areas.

The KMT lost its 51-year grip on power in 2000 when Chen Shui-bian from the Democratic Progressive Party beat Lien and won presidency. The pro-independence Chen beat Lien again last year to win re-election.

The KMT's popularity fell to record low levels after the 2000 presidential defeat but Lien helped boost its morale with his ice-breaking mainland trip.

China still regards Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunification despite their split in 1949 after the civil war.

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