Taiwan will further ease restrictions on mainland businessmen visiting the island, in a move to promote non-political exchanges despite rising cross-strait tensions.

Under the measure approved by the Mainland Affairs Council yesterday, mainlanders doing business or attending commercial activities on the island will be allowed to stay for as long as three months.

The new measure, which will take effect after approval of the island's cabinet, will also lift investment criteria used to determine which organisations can invite mainlanders to the island. Organisations that want to invite mainlanders to Taiwan now must have substantial investments on the mainland.