Negotiators from the Chinese mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) will hold talks from Oct. 19 to 21 in the northern city of Tianjin, a mainland spokesman said Wednesday.

A preparatory meeting for deputy heads will be held on Oct. 19, followed by talks between ARATS President Chen Yunlin and SEF Chairman Chiang Pin-kung on Oct. 20, said Yang Yi, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, at a press conference concerning the seventh such meeting.

Yang said talks between the mainland and Taiwan on a cross-Strait investment protection agreement have made remarkable progress, with a consensus nearly reached.

"But both sides believe more time is still needed for an agreement to be fully reached," Yang said. He added that the agreement is not expected to be signed during the upcoming meeting because time is limited.

Yang said the mainland is willing to see the early signing of the cross-Strait investment protection agreement, so as to better safeguard the rights and interests of Taiwanese business people.

Both sides will continue the negotiation toward that goal, he added.

Negotiators from the mainland and Taiwan on a cross-Strait nuclear power security cooperation agreement have nearly reached consensus, Yang said.

He added negotiations on the signing of the agreement will feature the coming ARATS-SEF meeting.

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