Defense spokesman hits back at recent Taiwan moves

The People's Liberation Army is committed to defeating external interference and acts of "Taiwan independence", a military spokesman said on Thursday.

Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks in response to the claim by Taiwan authorities that the two sides are "not subordinate to each other".

In a speech made on Oct 10, National Day in Taiwan, island leader Tsai Ing-wen said that the Democratic Progressive Party authorities will continue to bolster regional defense and demonstrate their determination to defend the island.

Tan said that DPP authorities are inciting confrontation with talk of "Taiwan independence" and have put the interests of the Chinese nation, and the well-being of the people of Taiwan at risk. They have tried to mislead public opinion, and have frequently colluded with external forces.

"These despicable acts of forgetting their roots, betraying the motherland and splitting the country prove once again that 'Taiwan independence' is the biggest obstacle to the reunification of China, and a serious hidden danger to national rejuvenation," he said.

Resolving the Taiwan question and achieving national reunification is the fundamental interest of the Chinese nation, and an inevitable requirement for the great rejuvenation. The PLA will maintain high levels of readiness to fight and win when the Party and the people need, he added.

In response to recent media reports that Taiwan's "army" chief paid a visit to the US and attended the annual meeting of the Association of the US Army, Tan said that the Chinese military had noticed the report and had demanded an explanation from the US.

He said the one-China principle is the political foundation of Sino-US relations and that China firmly opposes any form of official or military exchange between the US and Taiwan.

He noted that some people in the US have been violating these foundation and sending "extremely" wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatists, seriously affecting relations between the two countries and cross-Straits peace and stability.

"If the US continues to stubbornly cling to the illusion of using Taiwan to control China, China will resolutely counter and strike back," he added.