BEIJING, Nov. 9 -- The Chinese mainland and Taiwan should enhance mutual trust and respect each other's development path and social system, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said Sunday.

Xi made the remarks while meeting with Vincent Siew, senior Taiwan politician, who is in Beijing to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting slated for Nov. 10-11.

The two sides of the Taiwan Strait should develop mutual trust based on the common political commitment to upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence," Xi said.

Mutual trust is the key to ensure a correct direction and positive momentum for the peace and development across the Strait, he said.

It is inevitable that the two sides will encounter difficulties and barriers in relations due to the existing differences, Xi said.

But he stressed that the more difficulties and barriers the two sides face, the harder they should work to promote exchanges, build up trust and maintain positive engagement.

"We should respect each other's choice of development path and social system," he said.

Stressing great potential of cross-Strait cooperation, Xi said he expects the two sides to join hands, fend off interference and take up more active measures in economic, cultural, scientific and technological, and educational cooperation.

In particular, he said the two sides should create more opportunities for ordinary people and youth from both sides to communicate with each other, in a bid to improve understanding and foster greater affinity.

Siew told Xi that the current stable and peaceful cross-Strait situation is hard-earned and should be cherished.

He stressed Taiwan's commitment to the 1992 Consensus and called for institutional economic cooperation between the two sides in a bid to realize the revival of Chinese nation.