TAIPEI - TAIWAN President Ma Ying-jeou said on Saturday 'concrete results' are expected on opening direct cargo flights and shipping links with China in a few months, amid improving ties between the rivals.

'As Taiwan steadily improves its relations with China... I believe that in the next few months there will be concrete results for these works,' a presidential statement quoted Mr Ma as telling visitors from a US think-tank.

Taiwanese officials have said the two sides were scheduled to hold a second round of talks in Taipei, and that China's chief negotiator Chen Yunlin was scheduled to attend, although the date was not set yet.

The pro-independence opposition Democratic Progressive Party, a fierce critic of Mr Ma's China policy, has vowed to stage mass rallies should Chen set foot on the island.

Mr Ma rose to power on a platform of forging closer ties with China, in contrast to his predecessor Chen Shui-bian, who angered Beijing with his efforts to steer the island towards independence.

China and Taiwan have been governed separately since their split after a civil war in 1949, but Beijing still sees the island as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary. -- AFP