BEIJING -- The sooner the Taiwan question is resolved and national reunification is achieved, the better it will be for Taiwan's development and for improving the lives of people there, a mainland spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, told a regular press briefing that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are Chinese and fully capable of discussing and deciding internal affairs together to ensure that the destiny of the Chinese nation remains firmly in the hands of the Chinese people.

"'Taiwan independence' leads nowhere and confrontation offers no way out," Chen said. "Only by advancing cross-Strait relations toward the complete reunification of the motherland can lasting peace in the Strait be ensured and the shared prosperity of the Chinese nation be realized."

Chen emphasized that the 1992 Consensus, which upholds the one-China principle, serves as the political foundation for the development of cross-Strait relations and as an anchor for peace and stability in the region.

On this basis, the two sides of the Strait have held talks, signed multiple agreements and reached a broad consensus, effectively promoting economic and social well-being while maintaining stability across the Strait, he added.

The mainland is willing to work with all political parties, groups and individuals in Taiwan who uphold the one-China principle and oppose "Taiwan independence" to engage in extensive consultations on cross-Strait relations and Taiwan's future, Chen said.

He called on political parties and people from all walks of life in Taiwan to recognize the trend of history, uphold the overall interest of the Chinese nation, and join hands with the mainland to safeguard peace and stability in the Strait and create a bright future for national rejuvenation and reunification.