The Chinese mainland would support the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) in seeking an economic cooperation agreement with Taiwan, a mainland spokeswoman on Taiwan affairs said Wednesday.

Fan Liqing, spokeswoman for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks at a press conference when a reporter asked her to comment on suggestions by Hong Kong business people for an economic pact between Hong Kong and Taiwan.

An economic cooperation pact between Hong Kong and Taiwan would benefit the economies of both sides, promote the development of Hong Kong-Taiwan relations and conform to the common aspirations and interests of people on both sides, she said.

Taiwan is the fourth largest trade partner and the sixth largest export market of Hong Kong while Hong Kong is Taiwan's fourth largest trade partner and the second largest export market.