Chinese military warns that ‘Taiwan independence’ could lead to war, World News reports

The tension between China and Taiwan escalated on Thursday as the Chinese military issued a stern warning against any moves towards “Taiwan independence”. Chinese military spokesperson Sr. Col. Wu Qian stated that China’s reunification is an irreversible trend of history and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is prepared to take resolute actions to counter any separatist activities on the island.

The warning came in response to Taiwan’s new leader Lai Ching-te’s pro-independence speech during his inauguration as the island’s new President on May 20. Lai, who succeeded Tsai Ing-wen after winning the popular vote in the January Presidential election, called on China to stop threatening the island and promised to uphold the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.

China views Taiwan as a rebel province that must be reunified with the mainland, even by force. Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) does not seek independence from China but maintains that Taiwan is already a sovereign nation.

In a no-holds-barred inaugural speech, Lai’s call for peace was seen as a confession of his attempts to seek “Taiwan independence” by force and with external support. The PLA firmly opposes this and has responded with strong countermeasures.

China recently conducted massive military exercises around Taiwan, which the PLA described as a “strong punishment” for separatist acts. The drills focused on joint sea-air combat-readiness patrols, precision strikes on key targets, and integrated operations to test the combat capabilities of its forces to “seize” Taiwan. The PLA remains highly vigilant and ready to thwart any attempts at “Taiwan independence” and foreign interference.