China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products set up a branch in Taipei on Wednesday, the first one for mainland trade associations, according to a statement on the Ministry of Commerce's website.

The Taipei office will help chamber members as well as enterprises across the Straits with trade activities including exhibitions, training and forums. It will also coordinate trade disputes and carry out market research.

Trade between the mainland and Taiwan in 2012 rose 5.6 percent year-on-year to $168.96 billion, about 4.4 percent of China's total trade in 2012. The mainland's exports to Taiwan registered $ 36.78 billion, up 4.8 percent year-on-year while the mainland's imports increased 5.8 percent year-on-year to $132.18 billion, the ministry said.