BEIJING -?The preparation has been smooth for an upcoming forum on cross-Straits peaceful development, which will see over 240 attendees from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, a Chinese mainland spokesman said Wednesday.

Participants will come from all walks of life, including leaders of social organizations from across the Taiwan Strait, and more than 280 reporters will cover the event, said An Fengshan of the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office.

The forum, held in Beijing November 2-3, will be co-hosted by 20 social organizations from both sides of the Strait, including the Cross-Strait Relations Research Center, the National Society of Taiwan Studies, the China Federation of Industrial Economics from the mainland and the Taiwan-based 21st Century Foundation, An said.