DPP authorities slammed for ongoing military drill

A Chinese mainland spokeswoman, on Wednesday, dismissed remarks and actions by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities aimed at resisting reunification, reiterating that "Taiwan independence" separatism is doomed to fail.

Zhang Han, a spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a regular news conference that Taiwan's ongoing military drill concealed the DPP authorities' intention to pursue "Taiwan independence" through military means.

"It further demonstrates that they are the root cause of cross-Strait confrontation and tension, and a destabilizing factor for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," Zhang said.

According to media reports, Taiwan's military launched a five-day "immediate combat readiness drill" on Monday to test the responsiveness of various combat zones and their joint operational capabilities in the event of any mainland actions.

Zhang described the DPP authorities' posturing as futile in the face of the powerful People's Liberation Army, noting it would only harm Taiwan and ultimately lead to their own downfall.

Refuting recent remarks by Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te on cross-Strait relations, Zhang said his words and actions cannot change the historical and legal fact that Taiwan is part of China's territory, nor can they stop the inevitable trend toward national reunification.

During a meeting with foreign correspondents in Taipei on June 18, Lai claimed that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are not subordinate to each other.

In response, Zhang said there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China.

"Taiwan's future can only be decided jointly by the 1.4 billion Chinese people, including compatriots in Taiwan," she said.

She criticized the DPP authorities for adhering to a separatist "Taiwan independence" position and attempting to alter the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, where both sides belong to one China. She added that such actions amount to a denial of the outcomes of victory in World War II and a challenge to the postwar international order.

Zhang said the international community's adherence to the one-China principle and opposition to "Taiwan independence" separatism, together with mainstream public opinion on the island favoring peace, development, exchanges and cooperation, demonstrate that "Taiwan independence" has no future and that "anti-China" efforts are bound to fail.

"Lai's repeated public rhetoric exposes his anxiety and unease, and further confirms that 'Taiwan independence' is increasingly reaching a dead end," she said.

At the June 18 event, Lai also urged the mainland to abandon military expansion in the South China Sea, East China Sea and Taiwan Strait, and renounce the use of force against Taiwan, while stating that Taiwan is willing to engage in dialogue with the mainland on the basis of "equal dignity".

Zhang said the situations in the South China Sea and East China Sea remain generally stable, adding that the DPP authorities' separatist stance and attempts to pursue "Taiwan independence" by relying on external forces and military means remain the root cause of tensions and instability in the Taiwan Strait.

She reaffirmed the mainland's position that it is willing to make the utmost sincere efforts to pursue the prospect of peaceful reunification, but will never commit to renouncing the use of force or leave any room for any form of "Taiwan independence" separatist activity.

Only by recognizing the 1992 Consensus, which embodies the one-China principle, and ending separatist activities can the DPP authorities restore cross-Strait dialogue and return relations to the correct path of peaceful development, Zhang added.