BEIJING, April 15 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland is pressing ahead with the implementation of 10 newly released measures to boost exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Strait, a mainland spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a press conference that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities should remove various restrictions as soon as possible and eliminate obstacles to the normalization and regularization of cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation.

On April 12, the mainland unveiled a package of 10 policies and measures to boost exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Strait, including promoting the resumption of individual travel to Taiwan for residents of Shanghai and Fujian, and facilitating the entry of food products from qualified Taiwan manufacturers into the mainland market.

Any measures the mainland introduces that benefit Taiwan compatriots are smeared by the DPP authorities, Chen said, urging the DPP authorities to heed public opinion in Taiwan and promote cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, rather than set themselves against the people.

He added that the measures, aimed at improving the lives of people on both sides of the Strait and meeting the needs of Taiwan compatriots, mark another important step in promoting cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation in various sectors.

Chen said the measures align with the shared aspiration of people on both sides of the Strait for peace, development, exchanges and cooperation, and respond to the strong expectations of the public in Taiwan. ■