The entry into the WTO (World Trade Organization) of the People's Republic of China and later of Taiwan region will strengthen agricultural cooperation, said agro- scientists across the Taiwan straits.

The entry will force Taiwan to reform its agricultural industry and cut its labor intensive industries. The Chinese mainland will have to improve the quality of its agricultural products and introduce technology, investment and modern operation, said Niu Ruofeng, ex-president of the Institute of Agriculture and Economy attached to the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science. Cooperation between the two sides has great potential and possibility.

The Chinese mainland is very likely to become Taiwan's supplier of many farm products after the entry into the WTO, said Chen Fu Xiong, who works at the No.1 University of Science and Technology in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Taiwan's investment in the Chinese mainland has exceeded 1.5 billion US dollars. The State Council has approved of establishing cooperative experiment areas in four provinces including Heilongjiang, Shandong, Fujian and Hainan.