The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities should immediately pull back before it is too late from their perilous path of currying favor with the United States at the expense of China's Taiwan region, a Chinese mainland spokeswoman said Wednesday.
Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks at a press conference in response to recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump.
On Aug. 6, Trump announced that the United States would impose a 100-percent tariff on imported goods such as semiconductors, and claimed that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) would invest 300 billion U.S. dollars in the U.S. to build the world's largest plant for chips and semiconductors in Arizona.
Zhu noted that the move has already triggered concern among Taiwan's industry insiders and public.
"Previously, when TSMC was forced to announce an additional investment of 100 billion U.S. dollars in the U.S., it had already caused panic in the island's industry and an outpouring of public resentment. If this 300-billion-dollar investment is implemented, it will inevitably have a tremendous impact on Taiwan's economy. The island's economic momentum and autonomy will be further eroded," Zhu said.
She pointed out that both the U.S. and the DPP authorities bear responsibility for hollowing out Taiwan's industrial base.
"If the U.S. is the initiator of hollowing out Taiwan's industries, then the DPP authorities are the biggest accomplice. In tariff negotiations, they 'surrender before the talks begin'. 'offer the other cheek after being slapped', keep the negotiation process shrouded in secrecy, and even deceive the public time and again; in the industrial sector, they yield completely to U.S. demands, willingly handing over TSMC and allowing it to drain the value of Taiwan's advantageous industries. This fully demonstrates that the DPP authorities are neither willing nor capable of safeguarding Taiwan's economic development and the well-being of its people," Zhu noted.
She called for vigilance and unity from the people across the island.
"We urge the DPP authorities to immediately pull back before going further down the dangerous path of currying favor with the U.S. and selling out Taiwan. The people of Taiwan and all those with insight from various sectors should unite and actively safeguard their own interests," the spokeswoman said.
Mainland urges DPP to safeguard economic growth, people's well-being in Taiwan
