The Chinese mainland and Taiwan have witnessed more than 300,000 cross-Straits marriages since travel from Taiwan to the mainland was first permitted in 1987, statistics from the Ministry of Civil Affairs show.

The number rose by about 30,000 compared with that in 2007.

"Marriages between mainland and Taiwan residents and those from foreign countries act as a lubricant that smooth the communication between governments," said a senior official with the ministry Tuesday.

Figures from the ministry show that from 1978 to 2009, marriage register offices across the mainland handled more than 1.2 million marriages between mainland residents and those from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, foreign citizens and overseas Chinese from nearly 200 countries and regions.