Taiwan leader accused of military push for 'independence'

The Chinese defense ministry on Thursday accused Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te of pursuing "Taiwan independence" through military means and by relying on external forces, saying such efforts cannot alter the balance of military strength across the Taiwan Strait.

Chen Xi, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks during an online news briefing, saying Lai's continued advocacy of seeking "Taiwan independence" through military means and external support once again exposed his true nature as a "destroyer of peace" and a "war instigator".

"Regardless of what Lai says or does, he cannot change the balance of military strength across the Taiwan Strait," Chen said, emphasizing that such efforts cannot halt the historical trend toward China's inevitable reunification.

On June 30, Lai attended the joint graduation ceremony of eight military academies in Taiwan, where he said the island would continue to strengthen foreign arms procurement and advance self-reliance in defense. On July 1, Taiwan established its littoral combat command, which it said is responsible for the "defense" of the waters surrounding the island.

Chen said that "Taiwan independence" is a dead end, while reunification is the right path, calling on people in Taiwan to recognize the extreme danger and harmful consequences of the Democratic Progressive Party authorities' stubborn adherence to the separatist "Taiwan independence" agenda.

At a regular news conference on Wednesday, Chen Binhua, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, also criticized the DPP authorities for escalating tensions across the Taiwan Strait and said they were the chief culprit behind instability in the Taiwan Strait.

According to Reuters, the DPP authorities recently held a civil resilience exercise in Nantou county, Taiwan, to simulate the county's ability to maintain normal operations in the event of an attack by the mainland. Around 370 local government officials took part in the exercise.

Commenting on the drill, Chen Binhua said the DPP authorities have tied people in Taiwan to the "Taiwan independence" war chariot by promoting the idea that "everyone is a soldier", a move he said seriously undermined their safety and well-being.

"In the face of the powerful People's Liberation Army, no matter how many exercises the DPP authorities stage, they are nothing but empty posturing and futile gestures," he added, stressing that such efforts cannot change the doomed fate of "Taiwan independence" nor can they halt the historical trend toward China's inevitable reunification.