Recent years have seen increasing mutual trust and the peaceful development of communication and exchange between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, but problems and challenges still exist in certain aspects, experts in the tourism, culture and religion fields noted during the Third Cross-Straits Mutual Trust Forum, held on Tuesday in the city of Xiamen, Fujian Province.

Ni Yongjie, vice-president and research fellow at the Shanghai Institute for Taiwan Studies highlighted the challenges posed by protests in Taiwan against a service trade pact between the two sides.

Ni said the protests represent a persistent lack of mutual trust, and noted that the US' and Japan's Taiwan policies would strongly influence cross-Straits relations.

The results of the 2016 Taiwan "general election" will also play an influential role, Ni added.

In remarks at the forum, Ge Wanjun, Chairman of the Board of Shanghai Huaxia International Travel Service Co. Ltd, and industry insiders  both from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, urged authorities take steps to increase public trust and confidence on both sides of the Straits.