The year 2010 would be marked by the steady development of cross-Strait relations, said the Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs chief Wang Yi Thursday.

Wang, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, extended festival greetings to Taiwan compatriots for the upcoming Spring Festival Thursday via www.chinataiwan.org.

The mainland would deepen cooperation with Taiwan this year, he said, adding that a key task at present was negotiating an economic pact with the island.

Cross-Strait relations realized a "historic transition" in 2008, and ties had been "comprehensively improved" last year, he said.

Wang said the mainland is ready to further enhance mutual trust, expand exchanges, improve current policies and measures, so as to enable more grass-root people to benefit from the development of cross-Strait relations.

Wang expressed confidence in the prospect of the continual strengthening of cross-Strait ties in his speech.

Promoting peaceful development of the relations and enhancing exchanges and cooperation between the two sides was the consensus of compatriots from both sides of the Taiwan Strait, he said.

"History will prove that Chinese on both sides of the Strait have the capability and wisdom to the solve the problems between the sides."

If people either side of the Strait reach out to one another, they would remove obstacles between them and help improve cross-Strait relations, he concluded.

Chinese will celebrate the Spring Festival, or the Lunar New Year's Day on Sunday.