BEIJING, May 14 -- A spokesman from the Chinese mainland on Wednesday said the mainland has proposed cooperation with Taiwan regarding the South China Sea issue.

The mainland has communicated the proposal via various channels to the Taiwan side, said Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, at a regular press conference.

"We are looking forward to a reply from Taiwan," he said.

Safeguarding the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as the overall interests of the Chinese nation should be a common obligation of compatriots of the two sides, he said.