China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) "demonstrates zero tolerance for Taiwan's separatist independence activities," a Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman said on Monday in response to a question about recent remarks by Taiwanese President Lai Chin-te, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
The PLA will strengthen its combat readiness to reliably defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, spokesman Zhang Xiaogang also said during a regular press conference.
“Lai's government continues to push Taiwan into a dangerous situation of war; "They are the cause of harming the livelihood of the Taiwanese people," Zhang said, adding that Lai's comments demonstrated his "malicious intentions." On Sunday, Lai began a series of 10 speeches on the theme of "national reunification," saying that democratically governed Taiwan "is of course a country" and that China has no legal or historical right to claim it. Beijing and Taipei have been locked in an escalating war of words over their conflicting interpretations of history, Reuters reported. Beijing has not ruled out the use of force to take control of the island and has a particularly strong dislike for Lai, whom it calls a "separatist." Taiwan strongly objects to China's claims to sovereignty and says the island's future depends on its people.
Tensions between China and Taiwan have risen in the past five years. Many regional observers believe that recent Chinese military exercises in April and October were tests of a possible blockade of Taiwan.