Mainland urges DPP to remove unilateral restrictions on cross-Strait travel

BEIJING, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Friday reiterated that there is no obstacle on the mainland side to travel between Fujian Province's coastal areas and Kinmen and Matsu, urging Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities to remove their unilateral restrictions.

Relevant parties on the mainland are fully prepared to restore travel and other direct exchanges between Fujian's coastal areas and Kinmen and Matsu, said Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, when asked to comment on DPP politicians' insistence on holding cross-Strait negotiations before such a restoration takes place.

Travel and other direct exchanges between Fujian's coastal areas and Kinmen and Matsu operated under mature and effective mechanisms before the DPP authorities used COVID-19 response measures as an excuse to unilaterally halt the services in 2020, the spokesperson said.

The services will be restored once the DPP authorities remove the obstacles they have intentionally placed, Zhu said.