Taiwan's chief negotiator on cross-Straits relations Monday said talks with the Chinese mainland would be continued this year to help boost economic and trade ties between the two sides.

Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of the island's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), said the next round of talks would focus on joint efforts on cracking down on crime, financial cooperation and regular cross-Straits flights.

Results from these negotiations are expected to help Taiwan and the mainland overcome current challenges in economic growth through vibrant business ties, he said at a ceremony in Taipei to mark the 18th birthday of the SEF.

He expressed the hope that the meeting would be held in the first half of this year.

Chiang said six agreements reached between the two sides since last June had yielded some initial results in boosting economic exchanges, particularly after the historical direct links of transport, trade and post services which began Dec. 15.

The SEF and mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), were authorized by Taiwan and the mainland to handle cross-Strait exchanges in early 1990s. Negotiations were suspended for almost 10 years until June 2008 when Chiang and his mainland counterpart Chen Yunlin held their first meeting in Beijing.

Source: Xinhua