BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan authorities and relevant colleges should properly address matters concerning the rights and interests of mainland students studying on the island, a mainland spokesperson said Thursday.

Mainland students enrolled in Taiwan colleges and universities are now unable to return to the island due to the entry restrictions imposed on mainland residents by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party administration on Feb. 6 amid the COVID-19 outbreak, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said in an interview.

However, they were still required to pay tuition and register as the island's colleges and universities started the new semester as usual in late February or early March.

Some colleges did not make necessary arrangements and some even required a one-semester delay for mainland students to start school after collecting their tuition fees.

It is unreasonable for Taiwan authorities to deny the return of mainland students given the school semester opened normally on the island, said Zhu.

Currently, over 8,300 mainland students are enrolled in Taiwan colleges and universities.