Wang Yi (R), director of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, meets with Lin Join-sane, chairman of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), in Beijing, capital of China, Oct 17, 2012.(Xinhua/Wang Shen)

A mainland spokesman on Oct 16 expressed support for the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and its Taiwanese counterpart, the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), to establish cross-Straits offices.

The offices will facilitate the work of the two organizations that have been entrusted to handle cross-Straits affairs and better serve people from the two sides, said Yang Yi, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, at a press conference.

"We hope the two organizations can finish the preparation work and discuss the issue as early as possible," Yang said when asked to comment on Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou's recent remarks about the establishment of cross-Straits offices.

Yang also said the mainland has always been positive and supportive and worked to help both Taiwan and mainland media set up permanent offices.

Yang called on the Taiwan side to respond to calls from media from both sides of the Straits and remove barriers in this respect.

Lin Join-sane, SEF chairman, arrived in Beijing on Oct 18 morning to kick off his first visit to the Chinese mainland.

"We welcome the visit of Chairman Lin Join-sane," Yang said. "We expect the SEF can further the cooperation with the ARATS and continue the consultation based on the progress achieved previously."

Lin met with his mainland counterpart ARATS President Chen Yunlin on Oct 18 evening and with Wang Yi, director of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, on the morning of Oct 17.

Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), also met with Lin on Oct 17.

Yang also said he believes that Taiwan can carry out positive policies on mainland affairs, avoid interference and work for the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations.

When asked to comment on mainland-related policies issued by Taiwan's opposition party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Yang said the mainland hopes that the DPP will realize that peaceful development has won the support of mainstream public opinion across the Taiwan Straits and that "Taiwan independence" is doomed to be a dead end.

The DPP should give up its stance of "Taiwan independence" and return to the right path, he said.

The mainland is willing to listen to rational and constructive ideas on cross-Straits relations from all walks of Taiwan society, he said.

Edited by Chen Zhilin