The Chinese mainland and Taiwan would hold the first round of expert discussions on a proposed economic cooperation framework in Beijing on January 26, the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) said Sunday.

The mainland delegation, led by ARATS executive vice president Zheng Lizhong, will meet experts from Taiwan to discuss the proposed Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), a pact expected to facilitate cross-Straits trade and economic development.

Kao Kung-lian, vice chairman and secretary general of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) would lead the Taiwan delegation, the ARATS said in a statement. The ARATS and SEF are respectively authorized by authorities in the mainland and Taiwan to handle cross-Strait issues.

The ECFA is intended to make systematic arrangements to normalize mainland-Taiwan economic ties and bring the economies of both sides closer.

The expert discussions were expected to focus on the evaluation of the results and proposals of a joint research by academic institutions on both sides on this issue and discussing the official name and basic structure of the economic cooperation framework, the statement said.

Both sides would notify each other on the composition of the expert panel, exchange and share information on economic and trade regulations, tax laws and statistical data, it said.

The ARATS said it hoped both sides could keep to the principle of equality and mutual benefit, seek common ground while reserving differences for the promotion of the economic cooperation in an active and steady manner.

The mainland has been the largest trade partner of Taiwan since 2003, with annual trading volume now surpassing $100 billion.

Taiwan investment on the mainland amounted to $5.08 billion in the first three quarters last year, second only to Hong Kong in the same period in terms of investment from areas outside mainland.

On June 30 last year, Taiwan also opened up the island to mainland investment, with 100 categories of manufacturing, service and infrastructure sectors in the initial opening-up list.

(Xinhua News Agency January 24, 2010)