Beijing is drawing up policies to support and attract Taiwan citizens to work and live on the Chinese mainland, a spokesman for the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office said yesterday.

An Fengshan told a regular press briefing the policies would cover employment, social insurance and living needs, and would not only facilitate living and working on the mainland, but also aim to boost the social and economic integration of both sides of the Strait.

Asked about remarks by the Taiwan administration about island enterprises operating on the mainland, An said the mainland had always encouraged and supported Taiwan enterprises and set great store by safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests.

“We used to do it this way and we will continue to do it in the future,” said An, who added: “Who on earth is disturbing and hindering cross-Strait economic cooperation and Taiwan investment in the mainland? We must see it clearly.”

An said huge business opportunities had been created by China’s reform and opening up and Taiwan businesses would continue to be encouraged to develop on the mainland.

Commenting on a recent accident involving mainland tourists on the island, An urged Taiwan to take measures to ensure the safety of travelers.

A bus carrying 25 tourists and a tour guide from the mainland was involved in an accident in Kaohsiung, a city in southern Taiwan, on Saturday when it hit the roof of a tunnel after the driver took a wrong turn.

Of the 21 people taken to hospital, everyone, apart from the tour guide who is still being treated for his injuries, have now returned to the mainland, An said.

He said mainland authorities had been involved in dealing with the aftermath of the accident in conjunction with tourism organizations on both sides of the Strait.

The mainland, An said, was deeply saddened by a string of accidents in recent years involving mainland tourists.

In July last year, 23 tourists and a tour guide from the mainland, along with a driver and tour guide from Taiwan, were killed when their tour bus crashed into a barrier on a highway and caught fire near the island’s Taoyuan Airport.

The driver was found to have been drunk and had deliberately set the bus on fire. He had been found guilty of rape before the accident, but was free pending an appeal.

Responding to a question regarding the Taiwan Solidarity Union’s intention to invite Rebiya Kadeer, a Uygur separatist, to Taiwan next month, An said the mainland was “resolutely opposed” to the visit.

“It is a well-known fact that Rebiya Kadeer is among the heads of the separatist East Turkistan forces,” An said. “The invitation by the Taiwan independence secessionist force is intended to make trouble and will certainly harm cross-Strait relations.”

An also responded to a question about a claim by a leader of Taiwan’s New Power Party, who said Taiwan authorities would offer scholarships to Tibetans identified by Taiwan as refugees to sponsor their study on the island. An said that “our attitude is very clear, and (we) firmly oppose confusing the refugee issue with the issue of overseas Tibetan compatriots.”