A view of the Taiwan Straits is seen from Xiamen port, in East China's Fujian Province. Photo: IC

The current situation in the Taiwan Straits is complicated and severe because the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) stubbornly adheres to the separatist stance of "Taiwan independence" and refuses to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus, which embodies the one-China principle. It also colludes with external forces in provocations over "Taiwan independence," Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Monday.

Chen made these remarks following the inaugural speech of Taiwan region's new leader Lai Ching-te. Chen said that the new leader of the Taiwan region stubbornly adheres to the "Taiwan independence" position, loudly propagates the fallacy of secession, incites confrontation and antagonism across the Taiwan Straits, and intends to "rely on external forces to seek 'independence'" and "seek 'independence' by force."

However, it is the mainstream public opinion on the island to pursue peace instead of war, development instead of decline, communication instead of separation, and cooperation instead of confrontation, Chen said.

The leader of the Taiwan region has ignored public opinion and moved against the current, releasing dangerous signals of seeking "independence" and provocation, destroying peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, and fully exposing his nature as an advocate for "Taiwan independence."

There is only one China in the world, and the island of Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. "Taiwan independence" is as incompatible with peace across the Taiwan Strait as fire is with water, Chen said.

Our will to resolve the Taiwan question and achieve national reunification is rock-solid, our ability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity is indestructible, and our actions against "Taiwan independence" secession and foreign interference are resolute and strong, Chen said. We will never tolerate or condone any form of secessionist acts of "Taiwan independence."

The one-China principle is a basic norm in international relations and a general consensus of the international community, adhered to and respected by the vast majority of countries in the world, Chen said. China firmly opposes any form of official exchanges between China's Taiwan region and the US or other countries that have established diplomatic relations with China.

China also urges the US and other countries concerned to immediately rectify their mistakes, abide by the one-China principle and the serious political commitments they have made to China, deal with the Taiwan question in a prudent and proper manner, and stop sending wrong signals to the separatist forces for "Taiwan independence."

Chen said that the DPP authorities, in collaboration with external forces, have continuously engaged in provocations for "independence" and the expansion of the so-called "international space", and their actions have completely deviated from the mainstream public opinion on the island and jeopardized peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

It must be pointed out that "Taiwan independence" is a dead end, and condoning or supporting it is doomed to failure. The DPP authorities' reliance on external forces for "independence" and the interference of external forces will only bring deep woes to the people of Taiwan, but it will not change the fact that Taiwan island is part of China, nor will it shake the international community's adherence to the one-China principle.

Chen said that the motherland must be unified, and it will inevitably be unified. Regardless of changes in the situation on the island or who holds power, it cannot change the fact that both sides of the Straits belong to one China, nor can it change the fundamental pattern and direction of cross-Straits relations, or block the historical trend of the eventual reunification of the motherland.

China will fully implement the Party's overall strategy for resolving the Taiwan question in the new era, unswervingly adhere to the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, unite the vast number of Taiwan compatriots, and strive to promote the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and integration of development, and unswervingly push forward the cause of reunification of the motherland.

Global Times