Military drills response to separatism, mainland official says

The military exercises around Taiwan are a necessary step to protect its sovereignty and warned that efforts to promote the island's independence would lead to serious consequences, a Chinese mainland spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said that the "Strait Thunder-2025A" exercises conducted by the People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command are a "just move to punish attempts to split the country and a firm safeguard for the peace, stability of the Taiwan Strait, and the safety and well-being of Taiwan compatriots."

Her comments came after Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities called the exercises "escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait," and the United States said it opposed any unilateral changes to the status quo in the strait through force or coercion.  

"There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is part of China, which is the true status quo in the Taiwan Strait," Zhu said.  

She condemned the DPP authorities for "promoting the fallacy of 'Taiwan independence' and attempting to change the current status of both sides belonging to one China, severely disrupting peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and seriously harming the interests and well-being of Taiwan compatriots."  

"Allowing this to develop will only push Taiwan compatriots into a dangerous situation of war and crisis, and it must be resolutely contained and punished," she said.

Zhu said the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair and does not tolerate any foreign interference. She called on the US to adhere to the one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiques, and support China's reunification.