Lai Ching-te's U.S. "stopover" a separatist move: mainland

BEIJING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday said that Lai Ching-te's so-called "stopover" in the United States was, in nature, soliciting external support to seek "Taiwan independence."

At a press briefing, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, voiced firm opposition to any official interaction between the U.S. and Taiwan, and any "transit" by a Taiwan leader to the U.S. in any name or under whatever pretext.

Zhu said that the separatist position held by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities poses the greatest threat to the current cross-Strait relations.

She slammed the DPP authorities for colluding with external elements to frequently instigate separatist provocations and hijacking Taiwan onto their "Taiwan independence" chariot.

Zhu urged the DPP authorities to give up any illusions of seeking "Taiwan independence" by banking on external elements or military forces, and to cease its separatist actions.

"Only by returning to the 1992 Consensus, which embodies the one-China principle, can cross-Strait relations get back onto the right track of peaceful development, and a secure future for Taiwan's growth and prosperity be guaranteed," Zhu said.