A Taiwanese businessman and his family prepare to board a charter flight at Shanghai's Pudong International Airport yesterday as mainland carriers began Spring Festival service to the island.—Ji Haiying

Restrictions by Taiwan authorities on cross-strait economic exchange will ultimately undermine the island's economy and harm the interests of its people, a central government spokesman said in Beijing yesterday.

The "personal interests" of Taiwan's leader are being advanced at the expense of "the interests of all Taiwan compatriots," Li Weiyi, spokesman for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, told reporters.

Taiwan's leader, Chen Shui-bian, recently called for a tougher stance on relations with the mainland.

Taiwan's economy cannot maintain its momentum without economic and trade cooperation across the strait, said Li.

Every year, tens of thousands of Taiwan-invested companies on the mainland import a large amount of equipment and raw materials from Taiwan for their production needs, he said.

In 2005, Taiwan recorded a trade surplus of US$58 billion with the mainland, Li said.

"Taiwan has accumulated an overall trade surplus of US$330 billion from the mainland," he said.

Without the flow of funds from the mainland, Taiwan would have a trade deficit, according to Li.

Li said the mainland would "do its utmost" to promote cross-strait trade.

Li said the launch of Spring Festival charter flights across the Taiwan Strait proves that non-governmental organizations from the two sides can communicate directly on technical and professional issues.

President Hu Jintao's speech on the "three direct links" delivered recently in Xiamen fully shows the goodwill of the mainland.

The three links are mail, trade and transport, including air and sea travel.

"We maintain that non-governmental organizations can consult on the issues relating to the 'three direct links' to promote their early realization," Li said.

He asked Taiwan authorities to recognize Taiwan compatriots' long-held desire to have pandas in Taiwan and not to obstruct their entry.

The mainland announced on May 3 last year it would donate a couple of giant pandas to Taiwan compatriots.

However, Taiwan authorities have used a variety of excuses to obstruct the pandas' entry for fear they would boost affinities between people on both sides of the strait.

Also yesterday, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympics said it "will fully consider the will of Taiwan compatriots" in designing the roadmap for the Olympic torch relay.

Hu earlier welcomed Taiwan participation in the construction of stadiums for the Games and other commercial activities relating to the event.