BEIJING -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Thursday denounced Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority for obstructing mainland students from returning to the island to continue their studies.

Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said this has severely harmed the legitimate rights and interests of the students.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the mainland has supported its students in safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests, and helped them solve problems in returning to Taiwan for study, Ma said.

He added that out of selfish political interests, the DPP authority deliberately adopted discriminatory practices against mainland students and repeatedly obstructed them from returning to the island for study.

The DPP authority's moves to create confrontation across the Taiwan Strait have been criticized on the island, Ma said, urging the DPP to face up to the public opinions and protect the mainland students' legitimate rights and interests to continue their studies in Taiwan.