The Chinese mainland and Taiwan have agreed to strengthen cooperation and exchanges on security of nuclear power plants and food safety, a mainland official said Sunday.

Experts on both sides hope that a cross-Strait agreement on nuclear safety would be reached as soon as possible, said Wang Yi, head of the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office.

The mainland and Taiwan also agreed to enhance supervision and inspection on foods and "severely crack down on various criminal activities in the food sector," Wang told a centerpiece conference of the weeklong third Straits Forum being held in southeast China's city of Xiamen.

Negotiations on cross-Strait investment protection currently "proceed smoothly," he said, adding that the mainland hoped to sign an agreement soon.