TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's top financial regulator is set to meet his counterparts in China next month, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday, in a sign of growing financial cooperation across the Taiwan Straits.

William Tseng, chief of the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC), is set to hold meetings in Beijing on Dec. 25 and 26 with the chairmen of the mainland's banking, insurance and securities authorities, the sources said.

They declined to be identified as the matter has not been made public.

On the agenda, among other matters, is to have China accelerate its approvals for Taiwan banks to open branches there, a source said.

China's banking, securities and insurance regulators were not immediately available to comment.

Taiwan's trade and banking ties with China have picked up steadily since President Ma Ying-jeou took office in 2008. Both sides agreed a deal in 2013 to allow Taiwan to be an offshore yuan centre, joining Hong Kong and Singapore.