A Chinese mainland spokesman said Wednesday that the economic pact under discussion with Taiwan will follow the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

However, since the talks had just begun, it was too early to talk about the details of interaction with the WTO, said Yang Yi, spokesman with the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, at a regular press conference in Beijing in response to a question whether the mainland will report the pact to the WTO after it is signed.

Experts from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan held their first talks in Beijing Tuesday to pave the way for the long-awaited Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA).

"At yesterday's meeting, the two sides agreed to speed up the consultation procedure. When the pact is to be signed depends on how the talks develop," he said.

According to Taiwan-based news channel TVBS, Taiwan expected to reach the pact in the first half of this year.

When asked to comment on Taiwan's argument that it should not lift restrictions on mainland laborers and farm produce trade in the pact, Yang said the two sides will follow the principles of equality, mutual benefit and openness during the talks.

"Under these principles, we will carefully and fully consider rational requests from Taiwan and make proper arrangements to take care of Taiwan people's interests," he said.

The ECFA is intended to make systematic arrangements to normalize mainland-Taiwan economic ties and bring the economies of both sides closer.

Negotiators from the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) will hold formal discussions about the ECFA at their next round of talks in the first half of this year.

Experts from the two sides would hold the second meeting as early as possible, Yang said.