Chinese VP calls for smooth ECFA negotiations between mainland, Taiwan

BOAO, Hainan, April 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping said Saturday that the mainland is willing to see the ongoing negotiations of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) with Taiwan "smoothly proceed without disturbance so as to achieve results and produce economic benefit soon."

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Fredrick Chien, chief advisor of Taiwan's Cross-Straits Common Market Foundation in Hainan, on April 10, 2010. (Xinhua Photo)

Xi made the remarks when meeting with Fredrick Chien, chief advisor of Taiwan's Cross-Straits Common Market Foundation, on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the Boao Forum for Asia in southern province of Hainan.

The long-awaited cross-Strait economic pact, with aims to normalize mainland-Taiwan economic ties and bring the two economies closer, is hoped to be signed by the end of June.

Xi said how to further enhance economic cooperation remains a priority of the current cross-Strait relations.

Both the mainland and Taiwan has been on the way of economic recovery, he said, adding the cross-Strait economic exchanges are entering a new development stage.

He called on the two sides to constantly enrich the content of cooperation, expand cooperation areas, innovate ways of cooperation and improve the level of cooperation to further benefit people on both sides.

The past year saw a series of positive progress and breakthroughs in cross-Strait relations, and both sides should value the hard-won situation and continue to improve it, Xi said.

He said the mainland and Taiwan should actively promote cooperation of "new-type industries," expand two-way investment and strengthen exchanges of the financial services sector, among others, in order to enhance common economic development on both sides.