There is an increasing need among Taiwan compatriots for cross-Straits travel ahead of the Spring Festival and we are willing to take optimized measures and do our best to meet the demand, Zhu Fenglian, the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson, said on Friday in response to a transportation plan by Taiwan island for the upcoming festival.

There is no obstacle on the mainland to resume direct exchanges between Fujian Province's coastal areas and Kinmen and Matsu, said Zhu.

China urged Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities to remove their unilateral restrictions. It is hoped that the DPP authorities will take the welfare of the compatriots into consideration and let relevant parties handle specific issues such as flights in light of people’s actual needs and restore the cross-Straits travel, said Zhu.