BEIJING, China - China has announced it wants to proceed with plans for closer economic cooperation with Taiwan, signalling it is willing to move past recent disputes with the island.

"We are willing to continue to strengthen cross-strait economic cooperation and push forward the normalisation of cross-strait economic cooperation," Wang Yi, head of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said in a speech.

"We are willing to push forward the signing of a cross-strait financial memorandum of understanding, and deepen cooperation in areas such as finance, insurance and securities," he said on Monday in eastern China.

Wang's comments were posted on the website of the Taiwan Affairs Office and came after a pair of disputes threatened to trip up a recent rapprochement between the longtime rivals.

The southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung announced it would this week show a controversial documentary about exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer, despite Chinese objections.

Beijing was also angered by a visit to the island by Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama at the beginning of the month.

China and Taiwan went through decades of hostility after the two sides split in 1949 but relations have improved dramatically since elections last year brought China-friendly Ma Ying-jeou to the presidency in Taiwan.

Since then, the two sides have made a number of political breakthroughs including the establishment of direct flights.

In May, Wang said China would push mainland businesses to invest in Taiwan to help it weather the global financial crisis.

Taiwan's media said last week the island planned to sign an agreement with China in October allowing mainland investment in Taiwan's stock market.

The Commercial Times said Premier Wu Den-yih had asked his Cabinet to prepare for negotiations on the pact, known as the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, in hopes of talks with China on the issue next month.