Wang made the remarks after speaking at the opening session of the cross-strait agricultural and fishery cooperation seminar in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, when asked by reporters to comment on the statement made last Friday by Taiwan's Vice Premier Eric Chu that a breakthrough in the cross-strait talks on the financial MOU would come “in the next two days.”

Wang said whether the MOU will be signed in a couple of days will hinge on negotiations between both sides of the Taiwan Straits.

Commenting on speculations that Taiwan's FSC Chairman Sean Chen had been scheduled to fly to Beijing Friday for the signing of the cross-strait financial MOU, Wang said he had no knowledge of that.

Informed sources said that the wording of the financial MOU has been finalized, and both sides are now actively negotiating on the time and venue for the signing ceremony, which may be settled today at the earliest.

In related news, Lawmaker Alex Fai of the ruling Kuomintang, who is now convener of the finance committee of the Legislative Yuan, said yesterday that there is still some uncertainty about the exact time and place for the signing of the financial MOU, but it will definitely be soon.

The much talked about cross-strait financial MOU -- which will outline financial regulatory systems to pave the way for Taiwan and China to reciprocally approve operations by their financial institutions -- may be finalized sometime this month, Fai said.

The Cabinet-level Financial Supervisory Commission will not be the sole deal broker on the Taiwan side, he added.

“The National Security Council and the Mainland Affairs Council are also expected to play key roles in the signing of the MOU, “ Fai disclosed.

Fai said KMT lawmakers, particularly members of the Finance Committee, have been supportive of the proposed MOU because it will allow Taiwanese banks to expand loan and insurance services on the Chinese mainland.

Unlike the proposed cross-strait economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) , it will not adversely affect domestic industries, he said.

Meanwhile, KMT Lawmaker Chen Shu-hui, who recently traveled to China to assess the progress of the MOU talks, said she will ask FSC officials Monday on when and where exactly the MOU will be signed, in light of the vice premier's statement on an imminent breakthrough in the talks.

According to Chiang Pin-kung, Taiwan's top negotiator with China in the absence of official ties, the two sides of the Taiwan Strait have almost concluded the negotiations on the details of the MOU.