BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- A mainland spokesperson on Wednesday said that continous efforts were ongoing to facilitate young people from Taiwan to realize their education and career dreams on the mainland.

An Fengshan, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks at a regular press conference when commenting on Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority's attempts to prevent compatriots and the youth from Taiwan from coming to the mainland to explore development opportunities.

"The DPP authority will never make itself popular by obstructing normal exchanges and cooperation between the two sides of Taiwan Strait, sabotaging Taiwan youth employment and development opportunities, and creating difficulties for Taiwan compatriots," An said.

"The mainland will work to create better opportunities for young people from the island to study, work and start business on the mainland and resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of compatriots from Taiwan."

This year the number of mainland universities and colleges where Taiwan students can be enrolled in will rise to 336, an increase of 20 from 2018.