Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council. Photo: Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council

The Chinese mainland continues to support cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation in various fields despite the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities consistently obstructing exchanges. Their so-called “goodwill” to enhance exchanges has not been seen, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council told a press conference on Wednesday. 

Zhu’s remarks came after reports that Taiwan's transportation officials recently claimed that due to the decrease in mainland tourists, the target number of tourist trips to Taiwan this year would decrease from 12 million to 10 million. And there is public outcry within the Taiwan island urging the DPP authorities to seek solutions and not allow Taiwan's tourism industry to become a political sacrifice. 

“The DPP claim that they have been showing goodwill since last year, but what we see is that there has still been no formal opening for mainland residents to visit the Taiwan island, nor has the ban on Taiwan residents participating in group tours to the mainland been lifted. Where is the so-called goodwill? We haven't seen it,” said Zhu. 

During the Wednesday press conference, Zhu also criticized the DPP authorities for obstructing exchanges between young people.  

Former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang party (KMT) Ma Ying-jeou is leading a Taiwan youth delegation to visit the mainland this week, including Guangdong, Shaanxi, Beijing and other places to trace their roots and exchange experiences.

Zhu said that the foundation of cross-Strait relations lies in the people, and the driving force comes from the people. She hopes that young people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits can bravely shoulder responsibilities, unite in friendship, and work together. 

The mainland has consistently advocated and actively promoted cross-Straits youth exchanges, and will continue to create favorable conditions for mutual learning and exchange between young people, and provide more conveniences for Taiwan youth in studying, working, starting businesses, and living on the mainland, Zhu said. 

Mr Ma has led young people from the Taiwan island to visit and conduct exchanges on the mainland twice, and invited faculty and students from five mainland universities to visit the island, making significant contributions to promoting cross-Straits youth exchanges. “We fully acknowledge and appreciate this,” said Zhu. 

The main obstacle to cross-Straits youth exchanges at present lies in the obstruction and restrictions imposed by the DPP authorities, Zhu said, noting that they will work with people of both sides of the Taiwan Strait to actively carry out various activities to promote youth exchanges, allowing more young people from both sides to get to know each other, work together, and inject youthful vitality into the continuous development of cross-Straits relations.

While visiting the former residence of Sun Yat-sen, a great national hero, great patriot and great forerunner of China's democratic revolution, in Guangdong, Ma called on the two sides of the Taiwan Straits to work together and “avoid war.”

Zhu said that the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations is the correct path for safeguarding peace, promoting common development, and benefiting compatriots on both sides. People on both sides of the Straits should work together to fulfill the Chinese dream together, and shoulder the responsibility of national rejuvenation. 

The DPP authorities persist stubbornly in their separatist "Taiwan independence" stance and collude with external forces to continuously provoke separatism, which is the root cause of tension and instability in the Taiwan Straits.

We firmly oppose "Taiwan independence" and will not leave any room for separatist activities. The DPP authorities collude with external forces to provoke "independence" and undermine peace in the Taiwan Straits, damaging the interests and well-being of Taiwan compatriots, which is truly detested by the people of Taiwan, Zhu said. 

Global Times