Chinese mainland's top negotiator with Taiwan left the island Wednesday afternoon after a 48-hour visit, which saw the signing of a medical and health care agreement.

Chen Yunlin, president of the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), arrived in Taipei Monday for the sixth talks with Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF).

Chen and Chiang signed a cross-Strait medical and health care cooperation agreement after the talks and reached consensus on an investment protection deal, which was expected to be signed next year.

Wang Yi, the mainland's Taiwan affairs chief, said he appreciates the progress the mainland negotiators made during the visit when greeting them at Beijing airport Wednesday afternoon.

The visit shows that cross-Strait talks have "matured" through the efforts of both sides, Wang said.

People on both sides of the strait increasingly understand and support the talks, he said.

The cross-Strait medical and health care cooperation agreement is good for the health and safety of both mainland and Taiwan people, he added.

During the talks, the two sides reached a common understanding on many issues and established a mechanism to supervise the implementation of cross-Strait agreements, he added, noting that the agreements have a positive impact.

Chen said at a farewell function that he was "glad to see the agreement could better protect the health and safety of Taiwan compatriots."

The mainland's Ministry of Health said in a statement that the agreement would expand cross-Strait medical exchanges. The ministry is also working on a regulation to help Taiwan hospitals and doctors set up businesses in the mainland, which will take effect Jan. 1, 2011.

Chiang said the agreement would "bring new business opportunities" to the island's medical sector.

Chen said the ARATS and the SEF would strive to accelerate the negotiations of the investment protection deal, which is expected to top the agenda for a new cross-Strait meeting next year.

The two sides also agreed to begin consultations on dispute settlement and commodity and service trade, among other topics of follow-up negotiations after the landmark Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) took effect in September.

The Chinese mainland and Taiwan have reached 15 agreements and consensus on two other subjects during the past six meetings over the last two years, since the two organizations, authorized to handle cross-Strait affairs by their respective authorities, resumed talks in 2008 after a nine-year suspension.

These agreements paved the way for the opening of direct shipping and air links, tourist exchanges and closer economic cooperation.

"Taiwan compatriots' support for the talks is key to getting the cross-Strait deals signed," Chen said.

He also praised the success of the International Flora Expo, being held between November and April in Taipei.

Chen also met with Taiwan's mainland affairs chief, Lai Shin-yuan, Tuesday, and exchanged views on the talks and cross-Strait relations.

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