BEIJING, March 30 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokeswoman has said that political issues are inevitable in cross-Strait talks, and the mainland and Taiwan should seek to resolve them.

The two sides should create conditions for talks on political issues, and seek solutions, in advancing peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, said Fan Liqing, spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, at a news conference on Wednesday.

She said the mainland would stick to the principle of "building mutual trust, setting aside disputes, seeking common ground while reserving difference, creating win-win situations."

In pushing forward cross-Strait relations, the mainland would deal with "economy before politics and move from easier matters to more difficult ones," she added.

She also urged Taiwan's main opposition party, the Democratic Progressive Party, to abandon its "Taiwan independence" stand, and reiterated China's firm opposition to arms sales of foreign countries to the island.