China says it recent series of drills near Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) are aimed at combating the “arrogance” of separatist forces.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for China’s State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said that China’s recently-held military drills around the self-ruled island were to combat “the arrogance of Taiwan independence separatist forces.”
“The purpose is to resolutely combat the arrogance of Taiwan independence separatist forces and their actions to seek independence,” she stressed.
“The provocation of Taiwan independence continues all day long, and the actions of the People’s Liberation Army to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity are always ongoing,” Zhu added.
She also urged Taiwanese people to distinguish between “right and wrong”, and resolutely oppose independence for the island, calling on the island nation to work with China in a bid to maintain peace and stability in the strategically-sensitive Taiwan Strait.
China has sovereignty over the Chinese Taipei, and under the “One China” policy, almost all world countries, including the US, recognize that sovereignty. However, Washington has long courted Taipei in an attempt to unnerve Beijing.
Furthermore, Washington, which backs Taipei’s secessionist president Tsai Ing-wen, also infuriates Beijing by selling weapons to the self-governed island in violation of its own official policy.
Zhu’s remarks came just a day after Tsai lobbied for Australia’s support in joining a regional trade pact.
China particularly dislikes William Lai, the frontrunner to be elected president at Taiwan’s January elections, for his previous remarks in support of independence.
Separately on Wednesday, Lai, who is now the island’s vice-president, said China was trying to “annex” the island.
“China’s attempts to annex Taiwan have not changed,” he said at an event in Taipei on Wednesday for the 37th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, or DPP.
China describes Taiwan as the most sensitive and important issue in its relations with the US, and the topic remains a constant source of friction between Beijing and Washington.
Beijing has time and again said that it will use force, if necessary, to add Taiwan to China’s mainland.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, in an address to the 20th Communist Party Congress in October last year, made the same warning.
He said at the time that mainland China would continue to seek peaceful unification with the “greatest sincerity and the utmost effort” but would “absolutely never promise to renounce the use of force” and “reserve the option of taking all necessary measures.”
