BEIJING - Without its trade with the mainland, Taiwan would have seen a huge trade deficit, and its economy could not maintain positive growth this year, according to a mainland spokesperson on Wednesday.

"It is a fact that the mainland is Taiwan's biggest export market and the largest source of trade surplus," said Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

In the first 11 months of 2020, cross-Straits trade scored $235.69 billion, accounting for 5.4 percent of the mainland's total outbound trade, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs.

Of the trade, Taiwan's exports to the mainland reached $181.71 billion, accounting for 9.8 percent of the mainland's total imports, generating a trade surplus of $127.73 billion for the island.

Zhu underscored active participation of Taiwan-funded enterprises in the cross-Straits economic and trade exchanges and cooperation, as well as their contributions to Taiwan's economic growth.

Such cooperation serves the common interests of compatriots across the Strait and benefits the people in Taiwan, she said.

Zhu noted there is a gap of understanding of the cross-Straits economic development between business people and enterprises from Taiwan in the mainland and the residents in Taiwan.

She attributed the gap of understanding to political manipulation by the Democratic Progressive Party authorities and the factor that the people in Taiwan do not know the mainland well enough.

"The mainland is the best choice and the biggest opportunity for Taiwan businesses at present and in the future," Zhu said, citing favorable conditions such as the development trends, policy environment, market potential and the number of skillful workers in the mainland.