Chinese mainland authorities are urging the expansion of political trust across the Taiwan Strait and reiterated the one-China policy.

The comments came in response to Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou's recent use of the phrase "one country, two areas" to describe cross-Straits relations. Yang Yi, spokesman from the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office said the mainland was not surprised to hear Ma's statement and stressed that both sides should work together on what's in line with the interests of all Chinese.

Yang said, "The territorial integrity and sovereignty of China have not been affected by relations across the Taiwan Strait. The fact that both sides of the Taiwan Strait are part of one China has never changed and the relations between both sides are not the same as those between sovereign nations. We consider any statements, ideas or policies that adhere to this fact to be positive and conducive to the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations. We hope both sides will work to further political trust, improve exchanges and continue consultations."

(CNTV.cn May 30, 2012)