BEIJING -- A Chinese mainland official said Wednesday that a peace agreement is the common aspiration of the compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and the inevitable future of the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.

Ending hostility across the Taiwan Strait and reaching a peace agreement is in line with the interests of the Chinese nation and is the common aspirations of the compatriots on both sides of the Strait, said Yang Yi, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office.

Yang's statement follows remarks earlier in October by Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou, who raised the issue of a possible peace agreement and mentioned three premises for Taiwan authorities to seriously consider it.

Yang said reaching a peace agreement has been a proposition of the mainland over the years and it will be an inevitable future of the peaceful development of the cross-Strait relations.

Yang said he hopes the mainland and Taiwan can strengthen communication and mutual trust to create conditions for a possible peace agreement.

Yang said the will of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should be taken into consideration and the stable development of cross-Strait relations should be safeguarded.