Chinese PLA will not cease efforts to combat separatist activities, promote national reunification: spokesman

BEIJING -- China's defense ministry on Thursday said that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) will not cease its efforts to combat separatist activities and promote national reunification.

Zhang Xiaogang, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks at a press conference in response to a media inquiry regarding the Taiwan authorities' concerns over the mainland's military activities.

Noting that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, Zhang said it is entirely legitimate, necessary, reasonable and lawful for the PLA to conduct regular training and maintain combat readiness around the island, and to carry out counter-secession and counter-interference operations to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"The PLA will not cease its efforts to combat separatist activities and promote national reunification," Zhang said. "For every 'Taiwan independence' provocation, we will intensify our pressure further until the complete reunification of the motherland."

The spokesman also urged the Democratic Progressive Party authorities in Taiwan to face reality, conform to the prevailing trend, completely abandon the separatist schemes, and cease all provocative and war-inciting actions.

In response to another media inquiry, Zhang said it is a sheer waste of effort for certain media outlets to make groundless speculations about the PLA's actions and deliberately peddle "war anxiety," which will only undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

"We will continue to strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and the utmost effort, but we will never promise to renounce the use of force, and we reserve the option of taking all measures necessary," he said.