The recent results of municipal and regional elections in Taiwan reflect the hope of citizens there of maintaining social stability, economic development and peaceful and stable relations with the mainland, said a senior Chinese official here Wednesday.

Factors that help to contain activities attempting at "Taiwan independence" have been increasing, and the cross-strait relations have been moving toward peace and stability since the beginning of this year, said Li Weiyi, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council at a regularly-scheduled press conference.

Attempts by the leader of Taiwan authorities to create confrontation and harm cross-strait relations through so-called second-phase "constitutional reform" are against the interests and aspirations of the compatriots in Taiwan, said Li. He warns that these so-called reforms are the biggest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait region. Li says Chinese compatriots on both sides of the strait must maintain their opposition to the attempts.

The ruling party in Taiwan, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), was defeated by the Pan Blue Alliance led by the Chinese Kuomintang Party (KMT), in local elections on December 3.

Of the total 23 county level elections the KMT won 14 up from eight seats and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won six, down from 10.

(Xinhua News Agency December 14, 2005)