Mainland denounces Taiwan authorities for hindering cross-Strait exchanges

BEIJING, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday criticized the Taiwan authorities for barring relevant people on the island from attending the commemorative event held on the mainland marking the 160th anniversary of the birth of Sun Yat-sen.

Sun, a founding figure of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) and a revered revolutionary leader who played a pivotal role in overthrowing imperial rule in China, died in 1925 in Beijing. His remains rest at the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province.

Zhang Han, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, noted that the grand commemoration of Sun's legacy is intended to inherit and carry forward his noble spirit of upholding national unity and striving for national rejuvenation.

She stressed that the move by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities to obstruct cross-Strait exchanges and suppress Taiwan compatriots fully exposes their vicious intentions of betraying the nation and history, seeking to split the country, and stoking confrontation across the Taiwan Strait.

The Taiwan question stems from China's civil war fought between the forces led by the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the KMT about eight decades ago. In 1949, the defeated KMT retreated to Taiwan, and the People's Republic of China was founded under the leadership of the CPC.

The unresolved civil war, combined with foreign interference, has kept the two sides of the Taiwan Strait in a prolonged state of political confrontation. However, the fact that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory has never changed.

Recently, Taiwan authorities also rejected an application by mainland actor Zhang Linghe to visit the island for cultural exchanges.

Zhang Han criticized this decision as politically motivated, saying it undermined cross-Strait cultural exchanges and ran counter to the desire of people on both sides for closer ties.

She urged the DPP authorities to respect this shared desire, abandon political maneuvering, lift unreasonable restrictions and facilitate cultural exchanges across the Strait.

The spokesperson also commented on a recent incident involving singer Jay Chou from Taiwan, who reposted and liked a video in which he was introduced as a "Chinese singer." The move drew praise from some internet users on both sides of the Strait, while pro-DPP figures criticized it.

Zhang stressed that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are all Chinese.

She slammed "Taiwan independence" secessionists for opposing the close bonds between people across the Strait and seeking to use political means to restrict legitimate expression by Taiwan residents, saying such actions reflected malicious intent and lacked public support.