Yesterday, the vice director of the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office encouraged people in Taiwan to invest in the mainland, particularly its less developed areas, whilst at an investment fair in Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

Zheng Lizhong said the mainland had approved 66,028 Taiwan-invested projects by the end of June this year involving contracts worth US$84.1 billion, with US$40.7 billion already in place.

He was speaking at the three-day Ningxia Investment and Trade Fair, which aims to promote investment in the region and includes a seminar on economic cooperation between it and Taiwan.

Zheng said the fact the mainland is currently Taiwan's largest export market showed "cross-Straits economic cooperation is complementary and still has great potential."

The volume of indirect cross-Straits trade reached US$445.6 billion by the end of June, US$372.7 billion of which comprised goods from Taiwan.

"We will as always encourage the Taiwan compatriots to invest in the mainland, protect their legitimate rights and interests, and provide them with good services and help," said Zheng, adding that the West Development Program provides good opportunities for greater investment from the island province.

(Xinhua News Agency August 3, 2005)