DPP should mend its dangerous ways: China Daily editorial

With covert and overt support from foreign forces, the United States in particular, independence seekers in Taiwan have been repeatedly challenging the "one China" principle by playing one trick after another.

But whatever they do, they will only consolidate the Chinese mainland's resolve to realize the reunification of the island with the motherland.

On Monday, Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, slammed Taiwan's "Mainland Affairs Council" for claiming that "Taiwan has never belonged to the People's Republic of China, and only the people of Taiwan have the right to determine its future and development."

The island authority's stance is open defiance to the internationally recognized fact that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. As Zhu rightfully said, this historical fact and legal basis cannot be changed by anyone or any force.

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party authorities on the island should know they are playing with fire by using their secessionist ploys as Beijing will never allow Taiwan to be seceded from the motherland.

Apart from their wild talk, the Taiwan authorities have also sought to enlist foreign support in their confrontation with the Chinese mainland. This is also a dead end as Beijing is fully capable of defending its territorial integrity and sovereignty, and will do so without hesitation.

To contain China's development and exert strategic pressure on China, the US has more frequently than not played the Taiwan card in recent years, emboldening the DPP with the false impression that the US will back it no matter what it does.

To continue to use Taiwan as a pawn in its regional geopolitical playbook, the US has not only increased its arms sales to the Chinese island and beefed up official contacts with it but also tried to tie its regional allies to its anti-China bandwagon.

According to Japanese media reports, the US and Japanese officials have agreed to closely cooperate in the event of a military clash between the mainland and Taiwan during their high-profile talks last week in Tokyo. This is blatant interference in China's internal affairs, and both Washington and Tokyo should not harbor the mistaken impression that together they can successfully coerce Beijing to compromise on its core interests.

The reunification of the island with the motherland is inevitable. Any foreign forces should know that by siding with pro-independence forces in Taiwan, they are not only interfering in China's internal affairs but also risk being precipitated into a dangerous miscalculation.