Crude futures settle lower

Oil prices plummeted on Wednesday.

The West Texas Intermediate for December delivery dropped 2.55 dollars, or 4.18 percent, to settle at 58.49 U.S. dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude for January delivery lost 2.45 dollars, or 3.76 percent, to settle at 62.71 dollars a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities' separatist moves to stoke cross-Strait hostility are unpopular and doomed to fail, said Zhang Han, spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing on Wednesday.

Zhang made the comments at a regular press conference in response to a media query about recent inappropriate remarks by Chiu Chui-cheng, head of the so-called "mainland affairs council", regarding the Chinese mainland's policy of advancing high-quality cross-Strait integrated development".

"Our fellow Taiwan compatriots are our kith and kin. Over the years, acting on the principle that 'people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are all of the same family', we have actively promoted cross-Strait economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation, deepened the integrated development across various fields, and made steady progress in implementing policies that provide equal treatment to Taiwan compatriots. These efforts have continuously yielded new results, fully demonstrating our goodwill in seeking benefits for Taiwan compatriots and our sincerity in advancing the peaceful and integrated development of cross-Strait relations. Such endeavors have been met with strong support and wide acclaim from our Taiwan compatriots. Driven by its separatist pursuit of 'Taiwan secession', the DPP authorities are deeply fearful of closer ties between people across the Strait. They have deliberately fanned the flames of confrontation and antagonism, while resorting to slander and obstruction against anything that helps develop cross-Strait relations and benefits people on both sides. Such moves are deeply unpopular and are bound to fail," she said.