The Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) will conduct negotiations with its mainland counterpart on the release of Taiwanese intelligence agents imprisoned in China, if it receives authorization from the government to do so, an SEF official said Wednesday. SEF Deputy Secretary General Ma Shao-chang was responding to a request by National Security Bureau chief Tsai Teh-sheng. Tsai suggested that with the easing of cross-Taiwan Strait relations, the two sides could negotiate on the release of intelligence agents, through the SEF and China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS). The next round of regular talks between the SEF and the ARATS is scheduled for May or June. Meanwhile, Ma played down an upcoming visit to Taiwan by Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Jiang Zengwei on March 25. Ma said that Jiang and his delegation were invited by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council and are not coming for talks on the proposed cross-strait economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA). Yang Yi, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office under China's State Council, said China will carry out a directive by its President Hu Jiantao and Premier Wen Jiabao to speed up the signing of the ECFA. In related news, ARATS Vice President Wang Fuqing will lead a religious delegation to Taiwan Thursday. The 16-member delegation will visit Dharma Drum Mountain, Fuokuang Mountain, Chung Tai Chan Monastery and Dajia Jenn Lann Temple. 