Mainland slams DPP for blocking cross-Strait exchanges

BEIJING, June 13 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Friday condemned Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities for deliberately obstructing personnel exchanges across the Taiwan Strait.

Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the comment after Taiwan's tourism department rejected applications from mainland individuals wanting to attend a cross-Strait travel fair.

DPP authorities' interference in cross-Strait tourism exchanges fully exposes their intention to sever cross-Strait ties and their shameful disregard for the hardships facing tourism businesses and ordinary people, Zhu added.

"The prevailing public opinion in Taiwan demanding peace, development, exchange and cooperation cannot be ignored, and the aspiration among people on both sides to connect more closely cannot be suppressed," she said. ■