Chinese mainland on Wednesday denied the authorities had imposed restrictive measures on the southern Taiwan city of Kaohsiung in retaliation for its screening of a documentary film on Uygur activist Rebiya Kadeer and for hosting the Dalai Lama.

"It is not true. We have always encouraged mainland tourists to visit the island and made efforts to create a healthy and orderly environment for the business," said Fan Liqing, spokesperson of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, at a press conference in Beijing.

She was responding to a question from a Taiwan-based Eastern TV correspondent as to whether the mainland had imposed any restrictive or punitive measures on Kaohsiung as the number of mainland tourists to the city had fallen in the past month and some Kaohsiung travel agencies faced problems in marketing in the mainland after the visit of the Dalai Lama and screening of the documentary.

"Where tourists plan to visit is their own business," Fan said. "There are many factors that affect their choices. I think travel agencies arrange tour routes based on the customers' wishes."

In September, the mainland opposed the screening of a documentary about Rebiya Kadeer at a film festival in Kaohsiung and the city's hosting of the Dalai Lama.

Fan also reiterated that the mainland was ready to talk with Taiwan about an economic cooperation agreement and expects to start this year.

"The preparations in the mainland are set to start the talks about a cross-Strait economic cooperation agreement," she said.

Wang Yi, head of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, raised the same proposal at a two-day cross-Strait symposium in Chengdu, capital of southwestern Sichuan Province, on Sunday.

If both sides agreed, they could discuss how to start the talks at the meeting between the ARATS and SEF in mid or late December, Fan said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 28, 2009)