Experts from both sides met in Beijing for the day for a third round of talks on the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), intended to normalise China-Taiwan economic ties and bring the two economies closer.

"The two sides have exchanged views on the content of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement and the five attachments and have achieved substantial progress," the quasi-official Straits Exchange Foundation said in a statement in Taipei.

Further discussions will still be required, the foundation said, adding it hoped the deal can be signed when the top envoys from the two sides -- Chiang Pin-kung and his Chinese counterpart Chen Yunlin -- meet at a date not yet set.

Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government, which says the deal will boost growth and employment, has been pushing to sign the agreement in June.

However, the two sides were "stuck" in negotiations, Taiwan's premier had said Saturday, before the latest talks.

Adding to the more upbeat assessment Sunday, the foundation in Taipei said the two sides had "arrived at a crucial consensus" on some items, without going into further details.

More than 500 industrial items from Taiwan are expected to be allowed preferential tariffs as part of the deal, the Taiwanese Economic Daily reported, quoting Wang Yi, chief of China's Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

The items will cover industries ranging from petrochemical and textiles to machinery and car parts worth some 13.6 billion US dollars, the report said.

Beijing will demand only 100 Chinese items be placed on the early harvest list, Wang said.

The agreement will cover trade and investment as well as protection of intellectual property rights.

Opponents of the pact in Taiwan say stronger competition from China will cost jobs and the accord will make the island more dependent on the mainland.

Taiwan and China have been governed separately since a civil war in 1949, but Beijing considers the island part of its territory and has vowed to get it back, by force if necessary.

The first round of talks on the ECFA took place in January in Beijing and the second two months later in Taipei.

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