Ministry of National Defense Spokesperson Chen Xi Answers Reporters' Questions on Lai Ching-te's So-Called "Double Ten" Speech

Reporter: According to reports, Lai Ching-te recently delivered a so-called "Double Ten" speech, in which he hyped up the claim that the mainland continues to use military actions to pressure and change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, and clamored for increased defense investment and strengthened "whole-of-society defense resilience." What is your comment? Chen Xi: There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is part of China. This is the true status quo across the Taiwan Strait. Lai Ching-te stubbornly clings to the "Taiwan independence" position, confuses right and wrong, hypes the so-called "mainland military threat," incites cross-strait confrontation and antagonism, and attempts to seek "independence" through force and by relying on external forces. This once again exposes his nature as a "scourge to Taiwan" and a "disaster for peace." In recent years, the DPP authorities, for the selfish interests of their party, have vigorously pursued "independence" and rejected reunification, fawned on foreign forces and offered up concessions, forcibly promoted the so-called "all-people conscription" and "all-Taiwan battlefield," tied the people of Taiwan to the "Taiwan independence" chariot, undermined cross-strait stability, and sacrificed Taiwan's future. The PLA's regular training and exercise activities around the Taiwan island are meant to deter reckless "Taiwan independence" moves and external interference, and to safeguard the safety and well-being of the people in Taiwan. This is entirely justified and beyond reproach. "Taiwan independence" and cross-strait peace are as incompatible as fire and water. National reunification is the trend of the times, the cause of justice, and the will of the people. We hope our compatriots in Taiwan will clearly recognize the extreme danger and harm of the Lai Ching-te authorities' stubborn pursuit of "independence," join us in resolutely striking down "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, opposing external interference, and jointly protecting our beautiful homeland of peace and tranquility and sharing in the well-being and glory of national rejuvenation.