New exhibition

Meanwhile the Chinese mainland and Taiwan have opened the first joint exhibition by their two leading museums in six decades.

The joint exhibition is being held at Taipei's National Palace Museum

"This exhibition is a landmark indicator of the exchanges launched by the two museums more than half a year ago," said Zheng Xinmiao, the head of the Palace Museum in Beijing.

The exhibition - in Taipei's National Palace Museum - features items from the Qing Dynasty Emperor Yongzheng, including 37 items of the royal collections from the Palace Museum in Beijing and 209 items owned by the Taiwan museum.

Analysts say the loan of the Chinese artefacts to Taipei is a sign of warming ties between the chinese mainland and Taiwan.