China's defense department said Friday that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait can handle the issue of setting up a confidence-building mechanism in a progressive manner. In this sense, cross-strait cooperation on non-traditional security can provide the two sides access to more difficult issues. Non-traditional security, which covers areas such as maritime rescue and fighting terrorism and pirates, has become an inevitable issue following the full opening of cross-strait air and shipping links. In addition, establishing a cross-strait mechanism for maritime security cooperation can serve as an intermediary for Taiwan's future participation in a regional security cooperation network. 