China's mainland approved a total of 66,028 Taiwan-invested projects at the end of June this year, said Zheng Lizhong, vice director of State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, Tuesday.

These projects involved a total contractual Taiwan investment of US$84.1 billion, with US$40.7 billion already in place, Zheng told an investment and trade fair.

The mainland is currently the largest export market of Taiwan. The volume of indirect trade across the Taiwan Straits totaled US$445.6 billion by the end of this June, including 372.7 billion dollars worth of goods from Taiwan.

"This shows that the cross-Straits economic cooperation are complementary and still has great potentials," said Zheng.

"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."

Zheng added that the West Development Program will also provide good opportunities for cross-Straits economic cooperation.

(Xinhua News Agency August 3, 2005)