Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te's recent speech on October 10th reeked of "Taiwan independence" and the sinister intention of severing the historical bond between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. His continuous assertion that "the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China are not subordinate to each other", his "Taiwan independence" fallacy, and his reiteration of a separatist position have been bombarded by various parties for fanning up hostility across the Strait and seriously sabotaging cross-Strait peace and stability.
On October 14th, the Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command organized its troops of army, navy, air force and rocket force to conduct the "Joint Sword-2024B" exercise in the Taiwan Strait and the north, south and east of Taiwan Island – a powerful deterrent to the separatist activities in Taiwan and a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard national sovereignty and unity.
China's reunification is a historical trend and the right way forward. Since the Opium War of 1840, generations of Chinese people has put up heroic struggles to fight against foreign aggression, sought national liberation and unity. Mr. Sun Yat-sen, who was the first to call for "revitalizing China", led the successful Revolution of 1911 and blazed a path for achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Taiwan has been an inalienable part of China since ancient times. It was invaded and occupied by foreign aggressors in modern times and the Taiwan people suffered immensely during that period. When the Chinese people gained the great victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in 1945, Taiwan was liberated from imperialists. The island is an integral part of Chinese territory and the Taiwan compatriots are members of the big Chinese family. The government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole China, including Taiwan. The PRC is the great motherland for all Chinese nationals, and the one-China principle is a universal consensus acknowledged by the international community.
Turning a blind eye to the historical context of the Taiwan question and to the fact that the people living across the Taiwan Strait share the same origin, Lai Ching-te, in his so-called "Double Ten" speech, was racking his brains to patch up evidence for separation, ramming his "Taiwan independence" assertions upon the people in Taiwan, and playing the old tune of "democracy vs authoritarianism'. While singing for "democracy and freedom", what he was really doing was continuing down the road of "seeking independence by banking on foreign support and military means" and trying to tie the island onto the chariot for "Taiwan independence". Lai's fallacy once again revealed his bigoted "Taiwan independence" position and vicious intention of escalating hostility and confrontation across the Strait, which will plunge the people in Taiwan into an abyss of misery.
Whoever plays with fire will get itself burnt in the end! Lai Ching-te and DPP authorities' adventures on the wrong path are bound to meet with a heavy blow and come to nothing. The "Joint Sword-2024B" exercise by Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command once again proved that whenever the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces make a move, the PLA will respond with stronger military countermeasures, the noose around their neck will be held tighter, and the sword hanging over their head will drop lower.
Achieving national rejuvenation is the biggest dream of the Chinese nation in modern times. It is also a cause bearing on the future of people living on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan's future rests on national reunification, and the local people's wellbeing rests on national rejuvenation. Whatever fallacies and bizarre remarks Lai Ching-te made, they can neither change the irrefutable fact that both the mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China. We have the confidence and capability to achieve the full and complete reunification of the country and the rejuvenation of the nation. No one, no force can stop this overwhelming historical trend. We strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and the utmost effort, but we will leave no leeway for "Taiwan independence" separatist activities in any form, nor will we tolerate any "pro-independence" provocations. Any illusion of or attempt at separation will be smashed resolutely.
The Chinese PLA will continue to strengthen training andcombat readiness to enhance the capabilities to fight and win, and firmly fight back against "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and foreign interference. The PLA's actions to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity will not stop until provocations for "Taiwan independence" stop once and for all.
