About 400 delegates from Taiwan and the Chinese mainland are expected to attend the Cross-Strait Agricultural Cooperation Forum in mid-October, a mainland official said here Wednesday.

The forum was scheduled to be held on Oct. 17 and 18 in Bo'ao, Hainan Province, said Li Weiyi, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, on Wednesday.

"An exhibition on cross-Strait agricultural cooperation will be held in Xiamen, Fujian Province on Oct. 19 and 20," said Li, adding nearly 700 agricultural enterprises from Taiwan and the mainland had signed up, making it the largest of all cross-Strait forums.

Taiwan delegates would also be invited to inspect pilot agricultural projects in mainland cities, Li said.

Responding to questions that the Taiwan-based Mainland Affairs Council had fears that the cross-Strait agricultural exchange would affect agriculture in Taiwan, Li said that concern was narrow-minded.

"As agriculture in Taiwan and the mainland complements each other, it's mutually beneficial to strengthen cross-Strait agriculture cooperation so as to combine advantages and enhance competitiveness," said Li.

Many Taiwan agricultural enterprises that invest on the mainland had reaped success, expanding the market for Taiwan enterprises, Li said.

Source: Xinhua