A platform that will allow regular dialogue between Taiwan and China will be set up and put to use before the end of this year, to deal with issues or disputes related to the landmark trade deal signed between the two sides in June, Premier Wu Den-yih said Wednesday. Through this dialogue platform, Wu said, the two sides will consult with each other on matters related to the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) , as well as other economic issues of mutual concern. Despite decades of booming trade between Taiwan and China, as well as billions of dollars of Taiwanese investments in China, no such platform has existed between the two sides for investors or business people to resolve disputes. And since there are no formal ties between the two sides, there were no government representative offices in each other's territory. Taiwanese investors encountering problems in the mainland, for example, could only go through China's government offices for help, with no representation by Taiwanese authorities. The ECFA reduces tariffs on exports, eases or lifts non-tariff trade barriers and gives each side greater access to the other's market - which could potentially bring about more trade between the two sides. The pact stipulates that a 'cross-strait economic cooperation committee' should be created to handle follow-up negotiations or disputes. Since the trade deal took effect on Sept. 12, Wu said, the platform should be established, Wu said. As to when the platform will be inaugurated, the premier said it depends on when the two sides' existing quasi-official intermediary bodies -- the Taipei-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) and the Beijing-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), finalize their consultations. According to Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Lin Sheng-chung, the platform or 'committee' will comprise several working panels in charge of merchandise trade, service trade, dispute mechanism and investment affairs. The panels will be headed by department or bureau chiefs under the Ministry of Economic affairs who will meet with their Chinese counterparts biannually, Lin said. He added that both sides have reached a preliminary consensus that the 'committee' will be headed by a vice ministerial-level official from each side. 