Chang Han-wen, a well-known Taiwanese businessman, was yesterday elected head of the Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises on the Mainland, China's first national-level Taiwan-funded enterprise association.

It convened its first congress in Beijing yesterday and is due to be officially launched today.

The association has more than 200 deputies, most of whom are chairpersons of local Taiwan-funded enterprises associations and representatives from Taiwanese enterprises on the mainland. Currently, there are more than 100 local-level Taiwan investment enterprise associations on the mainland, Chang said.

He said the association was conceived against the backdrop of growing economic exchange and cooperation between the two sides.

"The association, which will be an important stage for Taiwanese businessmen, will serve as a bridge between us and the government," he said.

"The development of Taiwanese enterprises on the mainland is indispensable with a peaceful cross-Straits environment and government support."

Hector Yeh, a standing deputy chairman of the new association, said that the national-level association would help Taiwanese businesspeople to develop relations with ministries in Beijing.

"It is aimed at strengthening communication with large-scale State-owned and private enterprises, as well as the people on the mainland," he said.

Chen Yunlin, minister of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, was elected honorary chairman of the new association.