BEIJING -- The Chinese mainland will offer more professional opportunities for Taiwan lawyers by allowing them to handle a wider range of civil cases starting Nov 1.

Taiwan residents who have been awarded professional qualifications will be permitted to handle Taiwan-related civil cases on contract and intellectual property disputes as well as cases related to corporations, securities, insurance and negotiable instruments such as bills of exchange or cheques, Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said Monday.

Since 2008, Taiwan lawyers have been allowed to handle Taiwan-related marriage and inheritance cases.

The new policies will bring more opportunities for the island's legal profession, and to young professionals in particular, and better safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of people on both sides of the Straits, Ma said.

Starting in 2008, the Chinese mainland permitted Taiwan residents to take the National Judicial Examination, the only professional exam for lawyers, judges, prosecutors and similar legal professions. Since then, 308 have been awarded professional qualifications.

In May, the Ministry of Justice made it easier for Taiwan residents to practice law on the mainland by allowing Taiwan law firms to set up representative offices in Fujian, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai.