Taiwan asked not to discriminate against mainland spouses

A Taiwan affairs spokesman said Wednesday that he hopes Taiwan will rectify discriminatory polices targeting the mainland spouses of Taiwanese people.

Taiwan should safeguard the dignity, rights and interests of mainland spouses and create sound conditions for the happiness of cross-straits couples living in the island, Yang Yi, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at a press conference.

There are about 100,000 mainland spouses living in Taiwan. They must live there for at least six years before qualifying for permanent residence, which is a precondition for being employed or enjoying public services in the island.

More than 10,500 couples married across the Taiwan Strait in 2012, bringing the number of such couples to 340,000, Yang said.

Yang said cross-straits marriages have contributed to the peaceful development of relation between the mainland and Taiwan.

However, "some forces in Taiwan have interfered with and thwarted (cross-straits marriages) out of political purposes, which goes against the will of the people," Yang said.

He said the second Cross-Straits Marriage and Family Sub-Forum will continue to be an important part of this year's Straits Forum, which is scheduled to run from June 15 to 21 in the city of Xiamen in southeast China's Fujian Province.

New policies that will benefit Taiwan will be announced at the forum, according to Yang.