BEIJING -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday said that the mainland would continue to make it easier for Taiwan compatriots to visit, urging the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities to remove obstacles to cross-Strait exchanges.

It is a shared aspiration of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to expand exchanges and deepen cooperation, said Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, at a press conference.

According to data from the National Immigration Administration, 994,000 travel permits have been issued for Taiwan residents to visit the mainland this year. Additionally, a total of 2.96 million entries have been made by Taiwan individuals into the mainland, a year-on-year increase of 68.4 percent.

The data shows that the mainstream opinion in Taiwan society continues to prioritize peace, development, exchange, and cooperation with the mainland, said Zhu.