'Mainland, Taiwan won't let protests hurt ties'

Trade deal used by separatists to undermine relationship, officials say

Chinese mainland authorities firmly oppose the "Taiwan independence" forces' attempt to legitimatize separatism under the guise of supervising a cross-Straits pact, a spokeswoman for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office said.

Fan Liqing said on Wednesday that both mainland and Taiwan people will not allow the separatists to undermine negotiations and the relationship between the two sides that has grown over the past years.