A spokeswoman on the Chinese mainland on Wednesday criticized Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities for threatening to investigate Taiwan entrepreneurs who expressed their Chinese identity at a recent cross-Strait event, calling their move a betrayal of one's ancestors.

The comments followed an announcement by Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council on Sunday, accusing remarks made by Want Want China Times Media Group of damaging the island's "sovereignty". The council said it would investigate whether the group had collaborated with the mainland and violated regulations.

At the second Cross-Strait Chinese Culture Summit, held on May 28 in Beijing and attended by more than 800 cultural representatives from both sides, Want Want Holdings General Manager Tsai Wang-ting said, "We, as Chinese, should never forget our roots, history and culture."

Tsai noted that Want Want originated in Taiwan but has expanded its operations on the mainland.

Best known for its snacks, Want Want China is the mainland's largest producer of rice cakes. It acquired Taiwan's China Times Media Group in 2008.

Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said it was the right and freedom of Taiwan participants to express that both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family and that they are all Chinese. She said this view reflects public opinion on the island, which favors peace, development, communication and cooperation.

Zhu condemned the DPP authorities, accusing them of pursuing political gain at the expense of mainstream opinion, stirring up "anti-China" sentiment and intimidating individuals and groups that support peaceful cross-Strait ties.

"The DPP authorities are engaging in nothing short of 'terror politics' and 'authoritarianism,'" Zhu said.

She warned that those who forget their roots "never have a good ending", adding that actions against public sentiment are "doomed to fail".

Want Want China Times Media Group released a statement on Monday, saying that according to laws and regulations, Taiwan and the mainland belong to one China, and Taiwan people are Chinese — an enduring stance for the group. It also called for more efforts to promote cross-Strait peace and Taiwan's future.

The Cross-Strait Peace Development Forum, a platform of individuals and social groups from Taiwan, said in a statement on Sunday that the remarks from Want Want represent "a rational voice from the media amidst the current social turmoil", deserving of support and recognition rather than suppression.