In response to claims made by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities about banning the mainland navigation app Amap, a mainland spokesman on Wednesday criticized the move as anti-intellectual and anti-technology, driven by a separatist agenda.

Chen Binhua, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a regular news conference that the DPP authorities are attempting to block people in Taiwan from using mainland apps simply because the technologies and products are useful and widely embraced by the public.

He described the move as an absurd overreaction that would ultimately lose public support and fail.

Amap, also known as Gaode Map, recently introduced a "traffic light countdown" feature in Taiwan. Local users have praised the function for its high accuracy, calling it both convenient and efficient. The app has seen a surge in downloads across the island.

DPP authorities stated that if security concerns are confirmed, they would restrict the app's use within?local government agencies and advise the public not to use it.

Chen further criticized the DPP authorities for pushing an anti-mainland stance to the point of becoming anti-intellectual and anti-technology in pursuit of "Taiwan independence".

He added that since the DPP came to power, Taiwan society has seen a growing trend of ideological constraints and restrictions on free expression. "A typical example is that one cannot say 'no' to the United States, nor say 'good' about the mainland," Chen said.

Beyond Amap, Chen noted that the mainland has developed many innovative, high-quality products and cutting-edge technologies, and expressed a willingness to let Taiwan compatriots share in these benefits at an early stage.