Taiwan Authorities' attitudes toward the Chinese mainland and their refusal to grant entry to artists from the mainland are ridiculous and absurd, Xinhua said in a signed article.

Recently, Taiwan authorities denied some mainland artists entry to China's Taiwan Province, infuriating both mainland and Taiwan people.

The latest cases are Zhang Guoli, a well-known mainland TV drama star, and Li Yuchun, the champion of a popular singing contest sponsored by Hunan Television last year. Zhang and his son were turned down when they applied for entry, while Li had to keep silent during her stay in Taiwan.

The article attributed the actions to the Taiwan leader's radical pro-independence stance and his determination to arouse confrontation across the Taiwan Strait and reduce cross-straits cultural exchanges.

Taiwan Authorities view the Chinese mainland as an "enemy state" and have conducted a host of ridiculous and absurd activities to undermine cross-straits exchanges.

The most absurd action of all is that the Taiwan Authorities have denied entry to a pair of pandas given by the mainland as a good-will present to the island province.

Meanwhile, Taiwan Authorities have also tried to block the efforts to open up Taiwan to mainland tourists.

Cross-straits trade and business exchanges have been economically favorable for Taiwan, which has witnessed a total surplus of more than 300 billion US dollars so far, the article said.

Despite criticism from all walks of life in the island province, Taiwan Authorities said on Tuesday that they would check on the relevant policies that have restricted mainland artists' entry into Taiwan.

The article urged Taiwan Authorities not to create barriers for cultural exchanges across the strait. "In fact, what Taiwan Authorities should do is to check on the concept of "enemy state" and pro-independence thinking," it said.

Source: Xinhua