Business representatives from Taiwan province are expecting the coming Taiwan Trade Fair in Guangzhou 2016 to play a big part in helping them expand their presence in the Chinese mainland market even as cross-Straits relations have cooled since the island's new leader Tsai Ing-wen took office on May 20.

According to Simon Wang, executive vice-president of Taiwan Trade Center (TTC), more than 300 companies from Taiwan will bring in 5,000 different kinds of high quality products made and produced in Taiwan to display and exhibit in more than 700 standard booths at the fair, seeking expansion of sales in the Chinese mainland market and co-operation with their mainland counterparts.

"Companies from both mainland and Taiwan should seize the opportunities (to further advance their co-operation)," Wang told a press conference in Guangzhou on Wednesday.

To this end, special trade talks will also be organized during the fair, Wang added.

Jointly organized by Guangzhou city government and TTC, the fair will open in Guangzhou Pazhou International Convention and Exhibition Center on Friday and will not end till next Monday.

Gao Yaozong, director of the general office of Guangzhou Fair, said the event will help build a good platform for Taiwan companies to expand their presence in the mainland market and enhance the co-operation between the mainland and Taiwan.

It is the second time TTC has cooperated with the Guangzhou city government to organize a trade fair in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province. The first was held in 2011. More than 500,000 business representatives and residents visited the previous event.