China's mainland invites trade groups from Taiwan Wednesday to talk with their mainland counterparts about boosting Taiwan's tourism and fruit sales.

Li Weiyi, the spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remark at a routine press conference when a reporter asked for his opinions on Taiwan's designation of a trade association to discuss fruit sales with the mainland.

Meanwhile, on the topics of the mainland residents' travel to Taiwan, He Zhijun, a senior official with the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said "the number of mainland visitors to Taiwan is smaller than Taiwan visitors to the mainland because Taiwan hasn't lifted control on mainland visitors."

Last month, the mainland announced it would designate Taiwan as a tourist destination for mainland residents and was ready to discuss the details. Allowing mainland tourists will likely result in a Taiwan tourism boom.

By the end of 2004, a total of 33.88 million Taiwan people had visited the mainland. More than 1 million mainland people had visited Taiwan.

(Xinhua News Agency June 16, 2005)