Ma Xiaoguang Photo: cnsphoto

 
In response to the comment made by Taiwan's "Mainland Affairs Council" that China's resolution to fight "Taiwan independence" secessionists with armed forces is a "declaration of war," Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council said that all necessary measures taken in response to the provocation and coercion of the "Taiwan independence" secessionists are an act of justice to safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and it is China's internal affair in terms of what kind of measure to take to solve the Taiwan question. 

Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe emphasized that the Chinese armed forces will fight to the very end if anyone dares to split Taiwan from China during a speech delivered at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Sunday. Wei said Taiwan is part of China, and the Taiwan question is China's internal affair. "China will definitely realize its reunification." 

The person in charge of the Taiwan-based "Mainland Affairs Council" claimed that such a remark is a declaration of war that flouts the principles of peace in international relations. 

Wei's remarks came one day after US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told the conference that China was engaged in actions that threatened to "undermine security, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," and just weeks after US President Joe Biden said the US would respond "militarily" if China attacked the island of Taiwan - capped a weekend of confrontational exchanges between the Chinese and American military chiefs. 

Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Ma Xiaoguang said during a press conference on Wednesday that the remarks from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration is a distortion of the nature of the Taiwan question and a smear at the mainland's policy toward Taiwan, which once again exposed its sinister intention of hyping up the so-called "military threat" from the mainland and trying to "internationalize" the Taiwan question. 

Taiwan is an inseparable part of China and it is common knowledge that the Taiwan question was caused by a civil war, Ma said, noting that it is China's internal affair in terms of what kind of measure to take to solve the Taiwan question. Realizing the reunification of the country is the common aspiration of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation, Ma said. 

As is known to all, the DPP administration had denied the 1992 Consensus and challenged the one-China principle since it came to power, attempting to change the status quo that both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one China and has closed the door to cross-Straits peace talks, Ma said. 

The current tension between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits stems from the fact that the DPP authority in collusion with external forces, are constantly making provocations for "independence" and that some countries are plotting to "use Taiwan to contain China" and obstruct China's development and reunification. 

China will uphold the policy of peaceful reunification and "one country, two systems" and do its utmost to strive for the peaceful reunification, but will never allow Taiwan island to be separated from China, Ma said. 

If the DPP authority continues to misjudge the situation and stubbornly adhere to the position of "Taiwan independence" and touch the red line, China will take decisive measures to crush its illusion, Ma added. 

During the conference, Ma also refuted the DPP administration's remarks that the Taiwan Straits are "international waters," saying the move is DPP authority's cooperation with external forces to hype up the issue based on the separatist plots of "Taiwan independence."

It is a shameful move for the DPP authority to harm the interests of compatriots on both sides of the Straits and to betray the interests of the Chinese nation, Ma said. 

Ma also pointed out that the DPP authority has unilaterally suspended air passenger flights between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits, except for those between Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen and Chengdu since February of 2020, under the excuse of epidemic prevention. He added that this has harmed the cross-Straits personnel exchanges and economic and trade cooperation. 

Noting that there is no obstacle to the resumption of flights from the mainland, Ma urged the DPP authority to immediately stop political manipulation and respond to the needs of businesses and the public. 

Global Times