Shih Yen-shiang said the Taiwanese delegation would be led by Huang Chih-peng, head of the Bureau of Foreign Trade and who was the island's top negotiator during the previous four rounds of informal talks, the state Central News Agency reported.

Shih said the talks aimed at signing a trade pact known as the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement would be held before the month's end but was not specific on where they would take place, it said.

The Chinese side would be led by Tang Wei, director of the Department of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau Affairs under the Ministry of Commerce, according to Shih.

His remarks came after Taiwan's Premier Wu Den-yih had said the first round of talks was due to kick off on January 20 in hopes of signing the pact in May.

But an official told AFP on Tuesday that since the time and place had yet to be finalised, the first round of talks was likely to be delayed.

Taiwan's China-friendly government is eager to conclude the trade pact which it says could lift growth and boost employment.

But the opposition Democratic Progressive Party, which favours independence from China, fears it would increase Taiwan's reliance on China and imperil the island's de facto separate status.

Relations have improved since Taiwan's current administration assumed power in May 2008, pursuing a programme of stepping up economic ties.

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