SHENZHEN, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Chen Yunlin, president of the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) said Saturday that the ARATS will offer more support to help Taiwan businessmen weather through the financial crisis.

    Chen said this at a symposium here Saturday on the development of Taiwan companies amid the financial crisis.

    According to the Taipei World Trade Center, the second purchase delegation from the mainland had shown intention to purchase more than 600 million U.S. dollars worth of goods from Taiwan companies in the coming 12 months during a weeklong visit to the island, mainly involving food, drinks, garments and daily necessities.

    "Under the current circumstances, we should positively seek more cooperation opportunities to overcome the hardships," said Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF).

    The mainland will send the third procurement delegation to the island in August, focusing on the island's chemical industry, electronic products and automobiles.

    More than 50 representatives from the mainland-based Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises, the Taiwan-based "Chinese National Federation of Industries" and other organizations attended the symposium, which was jointly held by the ARATS and the SEF.