A forum to promote economic cooperation and exchange with Taiwan will be held in Shanghai from September 14 to 16, a mainland official said on Monday.

The "Jingying Forum" is jointly organized by the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Taiwan's People First Party (PFP). It is aimed at boosting further exchange and communication between Taiwan and the mainland, Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee, said.

As a crucial step towards the implementation of the communique issued by General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Hu Jintao and PFP Chairman James Soong on May 12, 2005, the forum will push relations across the Taiwan Straits towards peaceful and stable development, Chen said at a meeting with a PFP delegation.

More than 100 Taiwanese experts, scholars and entrepreneurs will be invited to attend the forum.

(Xinhua News Agency August 23, 2005)