China's mainland negotiator Chen Yunlin and his Taiwan counterpart Chiang Pin-kung are planning to hold a new round of talks on expanding cross-Straits relations in late April or early May of this year, State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Li Weiyi said Wednesday.

The talks between the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) will focus on joint efforts to crack down on crime, regular cross-Straits flights, financial cooperation and judiciary assistance, Li said at a press conference.

The two sides will also discuss mainland investment in the island, he added.

"Progress has already been made through exchanges of experts from both organizations," Li said.

He added that the mainland will always welcome a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait to exploit their own advantages and ensure mutual benefits.

"The Taiwan authorities are welcome to talk about such an agreement during the meetings between the ARATS and the SEF," he said.

According to Li, ARATS and SEF representatives met in Shanghai April 8 to discuss the time and location of the upcoming cross-Straits meeting.

The SEF proposed that it be held in a location other than Beijing, such as Nanjing in the eastern province of Jiangsu, Li said, adding that the ARATS was still considering the proposal.

The ARATS is making preparations to hold a preliminary meeting with the SEF in Taipei on April 18 to further discuss details of the coming talks, Li said.

Founded in 1991 and 1990 respectively, the ARATS and SEF were authorized by the mainland and Taiwan to handle cross-Strait exchanges. Negotiations had been suspended for almost 10 years until June 2008 when Chen and Chiang held their first meeting in Beijing.

From June 12-14, 2008, ARATS and SEF leaders held their first talks since 1999 in Beijing. The two signed agreements on weekend charter flights and tourism.

On November 3, 2008, mainland chief negotiator Chen Yunlin led a delegation to Taiwan for a five-day historic visit, and signed four agreements on direct shipping, air transport, postal services and food safety.

The forthcoming meeting will be the third round of talks held between the ARATS and the SEF.

Li Weiyi added that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao would meet a delegation from the Taiwan-based Cross-Straits Common Market Foundation during the upcoming Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2009.

Wang Yi, head of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, would also meet Taiwan delegates at a round-table discussion on cross-Straits financial cooperation on the sidelines of the forum, he said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 15, 2009)