Taipei  - Taiwan on Friday welcomed the prospect of a visit to the island by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao after Wen expressed his wish to see Taiwan and meet its people.

"We welcome Chinese leaders at all levels if they want to visit Taiwan, but we need to make careful planning," Premier Liu Chao-shiuan told parliament. "The higher their status is, the more careful the planning must be."

Wen made peace overtures to Taiwan Friday morning at a news conference in Beijing at the end of the annual session of China's nominal parliament, the National People's Congress.

Wen urged Taipei and Beijing to speed up talks on signing a trade pact similar to a free trade agreement as cross-strait trade hit 130 billion US dollars in 2008.

He also said China would "make reasonable" arrangements regarding Taiwan's request to join international organizations.

As if by coincidence, Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou, in an interview published in the United Daily News Friday, said Taiwan and China would hold talks next month on Taipei's request to attend the World Health Assembly, the annual meeting of the World Organization (WHO).

Ma said the talks would be held "abroad" but refused to disclose details.

Taiwan, expelled from the United Nations in 1971 and from UN-attached organizations in the following years, hopes to regain membership in international organizations like WHO.

But Taiwan's joining UN-affiliated organizations requires approval from China, which sees Taiwan as its breakaway province awaiting unification with the Chinese mainland.

At the news conference Friday, Wen also expressed the wish to visit Taiwan, saying he wants to see Alishan Mountain and the Sun Moon Lake and meet with Taiwan people.

"I am 67 years old, but if it is possible, I am willing to visit Taiwan," he said. "If I am too old to go to Taiwan and even if I have to crawl to Taiwan, I am willing to make the trip."

Wen's peace overtures sent Taiwan stocks soaring 3 per cent, its biggest rise since January.

The Taiex index rose 142.74 points to close at 4,897.39. (dpa)