A Chinese mainland spokeswoman on Wednesday said that Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te's recent separatist remarks on social media fully exposed his bluster and weakness, and were only filled with lies and hostility.
Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the statement at a press conference in Beijing in response to a media query.
"Lai Ching-te's claims are filled with lies and deception, hostility and confrontation, paranoia and arrogance. The claims disregard the international community's opposition to 'Taiwan independence,' and are mere bluff and posturing in an attempt to mislead the public in Taiwan and deceive international public opinions. This fully exposes his inner weakness, cunning and despicable nature. Since taking office, Lai has stubbornly adhered to a separatist stance, hyping up the rhetoric of 'mutual non-subordination' of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, stoking confrontation, and engaging in continuous separatist provocations," Zhu said.
"He is a saboteur to the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and the biggest source of instability for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Lai has been trumpeting a 'Taiwan independence' separatist fallacy while seeking to undermine cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, drawing firm opposition from people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and the international community. His attempts are doomed to fail," she said.
"There is but one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China, which is the true status quo across the Taiwan Strait. The future of Taiwan can only, and must, be determined collectively by the over 1.4 billion Chinese people, including the 23 million compatriots in Taiwan. No matter what Lai Ching-te says or does, it can never change the historical and legal fact that Taiwan is part of China, nor can it stop the historical trend toward reunification, which is unstoppable," said the spokeswoman.
Lai Ching-te's separatist remarks reveal weak, deceitful nature: spokeswoman
