BEIJING -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday urged Taiwan authorities to return to the common political foundation of the 1992 Consensus.

Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks when asked to comment on the recent remarks made by Chiu Tai-san, the new head of Taiwan's mainland affairs council.

Chiu had expressed the expectation that the mainland and Taiwan would resume exchanges and the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations.

"Whether the Taiwan side accepts the 1992 Consensus bears on the fundamental nature of cross-Straits relations, and it is also a touchstone for testing the so-called 'goodwill' of the Taiwan authorities," Ma said.

He stressed that as long as the Taiwan side recognizes the historical facts of the 1992 Consensus and its essence, there will be no obstacles for the two sides in conducting exchanges and communications.