BEIJING -- Taiwan compatriots made more than 4.02 million trips to the mainland in 2024, up 54.3 percent from the previous year, a mainland spokesperson announced Wednesday.

Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a regular press conference that the mainland has consistently worked to facilitate personnel exchanges across the Taiwan Strait, particularly supporting Taiwan compatriots in working, studying, and living in eastern Fujian province.

Designated as a demonstration zone for cross-Strait integrated development, Fujian saw 920,000 trips by Taiwan compatriots in the past year, marking a 53.3 percent increase year on year, according to the spokesperson.

Chen noted that in the past year, 8,817 trips were operated on direct routes between Fujian's coastal areas and Kinmen and Mazu, transporting over 1.37 million passengers, marking year-on-year increases of 67.2 percent and 78.8 percent, respectively.

The four direct passenger routes -- Mawei to Mazu, Huangqi to Mazu, Quanzhou to Kinmen, and Xiamen to Kinmen -- currently operate up to 210 trips in total per week, he added.

Since the resumption of travel for Fujian residents to Mazu and Kinmen last year, by the end of December, Mazu had received 193 group tourists and 885 individual tourists, while Kinmen had welcomed 2,834 group tourists and 39,751 individual tourists, according to the spokesperson.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced in late August 2024 the decision to resume travel for Fujian residents to Kinmen, with the first tour group arriving in September. Mazu also welcomed its first tour group in August last year.

Chen slammed recent comments on cross-Strait tourism from Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te, who claimed that "the real obstacle to cross-Strait exchange is China, not Taiwan."

Chen noted that Lai's remarks, which included the terms "Taiwan" and "China" in reference to the two sides of the Strait, were a clear demonstration of separatist "Taiwan independence" rhetoric.

They once again demonstrated that the fundamental cause of the current standstill in the resumption of cross-Strait dialogue is the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which has made repeated provocations through separatist activities, Chen stressed.

The resumption of travel to Taiwan for mainland residents hinges on whether the DPP authorities can promptly remove the numerous barriers they have imposed on cross-Strait exchange and cooperation, he added.