Bright prospect for cross-Strait integrated development remains unchanged: spokesperson

BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The bright prospect for economic exchanges and cooperation as well as integrated development across the Taiwan Strait remains unchanged, a Chinese mainland spokesperson said Wednesday.

The number of investment projects by Taiwan businesses on the mainland saw a year-on-year increase of 23.9 percent in the first nine months of this year, with the utilized Taiwan investment up 7.5 percent on a year-on-year basis, according to Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office.

The volume of cross-Strait trade remained at a high level of about 200 billion U.S. dollars over the same period.

This demonstrates that despite the obstacles set by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities to obstruct cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, Taiwan compatriots and Taiwan businesses are still optimistic, still willing to invest, and their confidence in the mainland remains unchanged, Chen said.

"Our policy and stance of protecting Taiwan enterprises' legitimate rights and interests have not changed either," Chen said, expressing confidence that the cross-Strait economic exchanges and cooperation will grow broader and reach a higher level as the mainland's opening-up accelerates.

The spokesperson also noted that the two sides of the Strait have been working closely in terms of cultural exchanges.

Commenting on the growing popularity of mainland-based social networking platforms among Taiwan youngsters, Chen said the mainland welcomes young people in Taiwan to better understand the mainland and make friends on the mainland via whatever means they like.