BEIJING, Jan. 28 -- Cross-Strait marriages are more of a result of love nowadays than the past and reflect improvements to cross-Strait exchange, a spokesman said on Wednesday.

Spokesman for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, Ma Xiaoguang, made the remarks in response to reports that 720 "mainland bridegrooms" had wed Taiwanese in 2014.

Ma said cross-Strait economic marriages were a thing of the past.

"With economic growth, social development and improved living standards on the mainland, today's cross-Strait marriages are driven by love and ooze a special charm."

The emergence of "mainland bridegrooms" is a new trend, as in the past it was mostly mainland women marrying Taiwanese men.

The spokesman also said that he hoped young people on both sides of the Strait could foster "profound friendships" even if "they may not tying the knot in the end".

The mainland has released a set of policies to support Taiwanese to study and work on the mainland, said Ma, adding it would continue to improve cross-Strait exchanges.