Cai Wu, honorary chairman of the mainland-based China Friendship Association of Cultural Circles, said Monday he expects the Chinese mainland and Taiwan to create "favorable conditions" for a cultural exchange pact.

"We hope the two sides across the Taiwan Strait hold deep talks on the cultural exchange pact and then sign it, to create a cross-Strait cultural cooperation mechanism," said Cai in his address to the opening ceremony of a cross-Strait cultural forum in Taipei Monday.

"Economic and trade ties are very important, but they are no substitute for exchanges of culture and thought," he said.

Cai said that since the signing of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) had boosted cross-Strait economic relations, the two sides should now work to deepen cultural exchange.

He urged the two sides to change policies that hinder cross-Strait cultural exchange and to simplify application procedures for exchange and cooperation.

The mainland will boost cooperation between schools, troupes, museums, and libraries across the Taiwan Strait and encourage more cross-Strait cultural activities and festivals, he said.

He pledged to enhance support for cross-Strait cultural industries cooperation.

He also said the mainland will facilitate mainland companies holding cultural product fairs on the island while welcoming Taiwanese companies joining and holding such fairs on the mainland.

In his address to the opening ceremony, Liu Chao-shiuan, head of Taiwan's "National Cultural Association", said the forum is a milestone in the development of cross-Strait relations.

Cai began his visit to Taiwan to attend the cross-Strait cultural forum on Thursday, at the invitation of the Taiwan-based Sheen Chuen-Chi Cultural and Educational Foundation.

More than 150 experts from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan will discuss the development of cultural industries on both sides of the Strait at the forum.

The mainland association and the Taiwan-based foundation are sponsors of the forum.

The mainland and Taiwan signed the ECFA in June. Under the agreement, the mainland will reduce tariffs on 539 Taiwanese products worth 13.83 billion U.S. dollars while the island will reduce tariffs on 267 mainland products worth 2.86 billion U.S. dollars.

Taiwan's regional legislature passed it on Aug. 17.