The Chinese mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) president Chen Yunlin holds talks Tuesday morning with the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) chairman Chiang Pin-kung.

The heads of the two main negotiating bodies of the Chinese mainland and Taiwan sat down together in Taipei on Tuesday morning for their first ever summit in Taiwan.

The mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) president, Chen Yunlin, and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) chairman, Chiang Pin-kung, began talks in Taipei.

Chen thanked Taiwan people for their understanding and support for the meeting, which he said was a milestone for the positive development of the cross-straits relationship.

"We feel relieved and honored to help the peaceful development of the cross-straits relationship and promote the mutual benefits of the compatriots on both sides of the straits," Chen said.

Chen said that once progress had been made on direct flights, shipping and postal services between the mainland and Taiwan, the ARATS and SEF would discuss financial cooperation and the normalization of economic ties.

He said food safety would also be discussed during the talks.

"We will try our best to meet the demands and requirements of the Taiwan people and try to reach agreements on the basis of mutual benefits and reciprocity," Chen said.

He said the ARATS and SEF would discuss means to increase the number of mainland tourists to Taiwan, and set agenda for meetings and talks between the two organizations in the next stage.

He said the mainland was considering a plan to allow residents across the country to travel to Taiwan.