The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities of the Taiwan region are sabotaging cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, said a Chinese mainland spokesperson on Monday.

Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the comments in response to media inquiry about the DPP's attack at a visit to the Chinese mainland by Andrew Hsia, vice chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party.

On the shared political basis of adhering to the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence," the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the KMT have maintained trust and strengthened exchanges and cooperation over the years, said Ma.

In doing so, they have been playing an active role in promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, enhancing the well-being of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, and maintaining peace and stability of the Straits, he added.

It is natural and no surprise for the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and others to meet with the delegation led by Hsia, said Ma.

The malicious hyping up of such exchanges and contacts by the DPP authorities has further revealed their political nature of seeking "Taiwan independence," provoking the mainland, and disrupting and sabotaging cross-Strait cooperation and peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, he said.

(Cover: File photo of Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council. /CFP)