TAIPEI -- Taiwan's top negotiator for cross-Strait affairs said Friday that the cross-Strait relationship has achieved great progress and he hopes for even better development in the future.

Cross-Strait ties will continue to move forward on a foundation of peace, stability, prosperity and development, Lin Join-sane, chairman of the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), said at an SEF meeting.

The mainland and Taiwan will focus on expanding cross-Strait exchanges and enhancing cooperation in various sectors such as monitoring air quality, treating floating marine debris and simplifying the tax system to avoid double taxation, Lin said.

In order to enhance cross-Strait relations, the SEF and its mainland counterpart, the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, have reached a consensus on setting up cross-Strait offices, Lin said, adding that details require further negotiation.

Lin said he expects the two sides to finish negotiations on liberating the services trade this month and sign an agreement soon. Talks on liberating the goods trade and a dispute settlement mechanism are also going smoothly, he said.

Lin is scheduled to visit the mainland's Hunan and Hubei provinces next week.