Taiwan hopes to sign an agreement with China to rein in illegal fishing by mainland vessels, which often use dynamite and poison to boost their catch, an official said Monday.
"Top officials from the two sides have reached a tentative consensus on the agreement," Chen Tien-shou, deputy chief of Taiwan's Fisheries Agency, told reporters.
Li Jianhua, the head of China's Bureau of Fisheries, visited the island last week to discuss an agreement that would cover protection of maritime resources, Chen said, adding the agreement was likely to be signed next year.
Taiwan coast guard ships have frequently repelled Chinese boats fishing illegally with dynamite and poison, depleting fish stocks in waters near the island.
The two sides held landmark talks last year that led to the first direct charter flights across the Taiwan Strait since 1949 after their split in a civil war.
Beijing still considers the island part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary, although Taiwan has governed itself for six decades.
However, ties have improved dramatically since Beijing-friendly President Ma Ying-jeou came to power last year on a platform of boosting economic ties with the mainland.
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