Mainland spokesperson slams Taiwan leader's defamatory remarks

BEIJING -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday slammed recent remarks made by Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities that have been defaming the mainland's social system.

In response to a media query, Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said Lai and the DPP authorities have been maliciously smearing and attacking the mainland, and trying to intensify cross-Strait confrontation and mislead international public opinion.

"Their intentions are extremely sinister, and their methods are extremely despicable," Zhu said.

The DPP authorities are deceiving and swindling in the international community under the cloak of "democracy," and attempting to challenge the one-China principle, Zhu said.

Their actions completely violate the spirit of democracy, and the essence of their "fake democracy, real dictatorship" has long been seen through by the world and condemned by Taiwan compatriots, she added.