Over 200 industrialists and experts from both sides of the Taiwan Straits took part in the 2nd Cross-Straits Industrial Cooperation Forum on Wednesday, hoping to achieve mutual benefit by strengthening cooperation in hi-tech and new industries.

With a theme of making breakthroughs and innovations, the forum focuses on evaluating prospects for cross-Straits industrial cooperation, promoting two-way investment by deepening industrial cooperation and cooperation in newly-emerging industries as well as furthering development of small- and mid-sized enterprises.

Zhang Xiaoqiang, deputy director of the Chinese mainland's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said in the keynote speech that industrial cooperation across the Straits has scored positive achievements since the two sides established a special task force on the issue.

Zhang, also co-convener of the forum, called for strengthened cooperation in key sectors such as hi-tech industries with respective advantages, so as to overcome the difficulties brought by the ongoing global economic recession.

Zhang urged industrialists on both two sides of the Straits to further expand the range of cooperation, advance industrial upgrading by developing high and new technologies and promote the balanced development of two-way investment.

Woody Tyzz-Jiun Duh, co-convener of the forum and an official with Taiwan's economic affairs authorities, called for accelerated industrial cooperation in new industries, as well as two-way investment in key industries, for mutual benefit.