The mainland is willing to help Taiwan in the face of the current global financial crisis, a senior Communist Party of China (CPC) leader said here on Saturday.

"If the worsening world economic situation continues and the Taiwan side asks for help to solve economic difficulties, the mainland is willing to offer assistance with utmost efforts," Jia Qinglin, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, said at the 4th Cross-Straits Economic, Trade and Cultural Forum.

Jia, also chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said the mainland has worked out series of measures to enlarge domestic demand and boost economic growth, which will advance the economic development of the mainland as well as Taiwan.

"The measures will provide new trade and investment opportunities for Taiwan businessmen," he said.

He said the compatriots of the two sides should help each other in the crucial stage to cope with the crisis.

"We should get through the difficulties hand in hand," he said.

Jia also suggested the two sides expand fields of industrial cooperation, improve cooperation in the finance sector, quicken the pace of normalization of cross-Straits economic relation and set up economic cooperation mechanism as soon as possible.

Deng Dai-sian, associate researcher of the KMT National Policy Foundation, said Jia's suggestions are another favorable thing the mainland presented to Taiwan.

"They are also very timely," Deng said.

He said the Taiwan delegates applauded Jia's words of economic assistance to Taiwan.

Chiao Jen-ho, former vice chairman and secretary-general of Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), said Taiwan economy would get through the difficulties for sure with the assistance and support of the mainland.

"The suggestions are really great! They will be definitely hailed by the Taiwan people," Chiao said.

(Xinhua News Agency December 20, 2008)