Chen said that tuition of students from Taiwan at mainland universities will be reduced to the equal level with that of their mainland counterparts.

    "The education departments will also take efforts to set up a scholarship for university students from Taiwan within this year," he said, adding that the balance of the tuition and the actual cost of education will be subsidized by the state coffer.

    The director called on the Taiwan authorities to recognize the schooling records of Taiwan students studying on the mainland as soon as possible to protect their legitimate rights and interests.

    He said that the mainland will also modify relevant policies to facilitate the employment of Taiwan compatriots on the mainland.

    "The labor departments are busily modifying relevant polices to ease job terms on Taiwan compatriots who are willing to work on the mainland," he said.

    After the modification of the policies, Taiwan graduates from mainland universities will enjoy equal opportunity to work on the mainland with their mainland counterparts, he said.

    The director said that the mainland will further open its employment market to all kinds of professionals from Taiwan and encourage Taiwan compatriots to attend vocational qualification exams in the mainland, and such examinations can also be carried out in Taiwan when conditions are" ripe."

    "These moves are aimed to substantially solve the issues Taiwan compatriots are concerned about," he said of the fact that more and more Taiwan compatriots are coming to the mainland to work, study and live.