BEIJING - A mainland spokeswoman on Wednesday applauded the outcome of the 5th Straits Forum, saying it will help further boost cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation.

Fan Liqing, spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks at a regular press conference, adding that compared to previous forums, a broader range of fields and topics were covered at the latest forum.

The 31 preferential policies introduced by the Chinese mainland on Taiwan during the forum covered the fields of legal rights, education, culture and tourism, and are aimed at facilitating grassroots exchanges and improving the lives of ordinary Taiwanese people.

The positive outcome of the forum reflects the willingness of people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits to participate in the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and shows the important role the form has played in promoting cross-Straits ties, according to the spokeswoman.

The 5th Straits Forum was held last week in Xiamen, a port city in Fujian province on the western side of Taiwan Straits.

The event featured an array of activities on grassroots exchanges between Taiwan and the mainland, including a main conference in Xiamen as well as sub-forums and seminars in cities throughout the province.