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The Chinese mainland and Taiwan are already arranging expert discussions on the proposed Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), Yang Yi, spokesman with the mainland's State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said Friday.

Although such an economic pact might exert certain negative influences on some industries on the mainland and in Taiwan, research by both sides showed the pact would benefit cross-Straits trade and economic development in the long run, said Yang.

He said the mainland-based Association for Relations across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) were "actively arranging the first round of expert discussion" for the ECFA.

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

Also Friday, Lai Shin-yuan, a Taiwan official in charge of mainland affairs told a press conference in Taipei that signing the ECFA with the Chinese mainland as soon as possible was the right strategy for Taiwan.

The ECFA would be the most important issue in cross-Straits talks this year, she said.

"The Chinese mainland is Taiwan's largest export destination as well as its closest trade market in proximity," Lai said. "Priority should be given to the Chinese mainland to sign the ECFA."

She said the first round of cross-Straits talks on the ECFA would be held in late January, but did not give the specific date.

Commenting on the island's policies toward the Chinese mainland in 2009, Lai said the policies enjoyed high public support last year, and that institutionalized negotiations were the most suitable way to deal with complicate issues across the Taiwan Straits.

Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou said Monday he hoped the ECFA could be signed this year to help fuel Taiwan's economic revival.

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