BEIJING, Mar. 16 -- "The Taiwan question is at the very core of China's core interests, and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations," said SeniorColonel Tan Kefei, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, on Thursday.
When asked to comment on recent US's proactive moves on Taiwan question, the defense spokesperson said that Taiwan is a part of China and belongs to the people of China as a whole. The ongoing tensions across the Taiwan Strait are rooted in the fact that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities seek "Taiwan independence" by colluding with external forces, and insist on standing against the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation.
The compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are members of one big family. "We are willing to create broad space for peaceful reunification, but will never leave any space for any form of 'Taiwan independence' secessionist activities," said the spokesperson, adding that to the interference of external forces and the "Taiwan independence" secessionist activities, the PLA has carried out corresponding military operations, which are absolutely legitimate and fully justified.
The spokesperson also pointed out that China firmly opposes any form of official interaction and military ties between the United States and the Taiwan region, and firmly opposes the upgrading of the substantive relationship between the two in any form. "China urges the US side to give up the plot to 'contain China with Taiwan', and stop applying the salami-slicing strategy to make breakthroughs on the Taiwan question," he said.
In the end, the spokesperson made it clear that China firmly opposes 'Taiwan independence' and promotes reunification. "Taiwan will ultimately come back to China," he stressed. "The Chinese PLA always stays on high alert to any act of splitting China by the DPP authorities, and any interference and provocation by the external forces, and always stands ready to safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity."