BEIJING -- The mainland will thoroughly review and lawfully address public tips it has received in order to crack down on a small group of diehard "Taiwan independence" separatists and their activities, a mainland spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the statement in response to the creation of a public email tip-off system for reporting "Taiwan independence" hardliners.

Chen noted that since the system was introduced, people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have supported the just cause of punishing those who seek "Taiwan independence" through concrete actions.

"This reflects their shared desire to oppose 'Taiwan independence' and promote cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation," Chen said.