Chen Shui-bian's recent statement that Taiwan business people would be allowed to return to the island via the Xiamen-Jinmen air route was made out of a "well known motive", said a government spokesman Wednesday at a press conference.

Zhang Mingqing, spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remark in response to Chen's recent promise to allow Taiwan businessmen in all parts of the mainland to return to the island through the Jinmen-Xiamen air route.

Chen asserted that the residents of the island and Penhu Lieh Tao who hold "passports" are allowed to go to mainland, which in fact is a practice of "one country on each side", another version of "Taiwan independence", Zhang said.

The mainland has long been making efforts to promote "three direct links" across the Taiwan Strait and Chen's intentional delay is against Taiwan businessmen's long-time request for free travel across the strait, said Zhang.

"The realization of the 'three direct links' is to break new ground for cross-straits economic cooperation and bring greater benefits to the compatriots on both sides, and any policy blocking such exchanges and cooperation will finally harm Taiwan people, as well as its economic competitiveness," said Zhang.

(Xinhua News Agency February 11, 2004)