BEIJING,??? ?? Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday quashed reports by certain media that claimed Taiwan businesses are retreating from the mainland.

On the contrary, a variety of economic and trade activities have been held across the Taiwan Strait recently, creating more convenience for Taiwan business people and companies alike to tap into opportunities in the mainland market, said Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, while rebutting the reports as "pure and simple fiction."

Chen cited several events aimed at promoting cross-Strait business exchange and cooperation that took place this month, adding that the 2024 annual conference of the Cross-Strait CEO Summit will be held in the coastal city of Xiamen, Fujian Province, from Dec. 9 to 10.

Such activities have seen active participation by Taiwan business people, proving that Taiwan businesses to seek development on the mainland will not be obstructed by deception and intimidation, according to Chen.

Official data showed that from January to September, trade volume across the Strait reached 212.44 billion U.S. dollars, up 9 percent year on year, while 5,725 Taiwan-invested companies were newly set up in the Chinese mainland, a year-on-year increase of 5.6 percent.