BEIJING -- A Chinese mainland spokeswoman said Wednesday that cross-Strait discussions on the proposed mainland-Taiwan peace pact can first be held among academic and civil circles.

"It should be feasible" under the current circumstances, Fan Liqing, spokeswoman for the mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, told the office's weekly press conference.

Starting with academic and civil discussions is good for building up common ground, consensus and mutual trust between the mainland and Taiwan, thus creating conditions for gradually resolving issues in the future, Fan said.

She said political differences between the mainland and Taiwan "really exist, and we should never turn a blind eye to them."

Such an agreement will not only meet the shared expectations of compatriots on both sides but also serve the overall interests of the Chinese nation, she said.

She also said the major task now is to "consolidate and strengthen the political, economic, cultural and social foundation" for the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.

Specifically, the mainland and Taiwan should still focus on follow-up negotiations on the two-year-old Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement in order to further cross-Strait economic and cultural ties, Fan said.