Jiang Bin Photo: China's Ministry of National Defense

When asked to comment on reports that Taiwan's army recently held a ceremony to induct M1A2T tanks and that Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te claimed strengthening the island's "defense" was to maintain peace and stability across the Straits, and that "only strength can bring real peace," Jiang Bin, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, said the "Taiwan independence" forces are fully aware of the cross-Straits military contrast. Their high-profile posturing is nothing more than an attempt to boost their own morale and mislead the people in Taiwan island.

The PLA's determination and capability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity cannot be challenged by the Taiwan regional military by merely displaying a few US-made weapons. Any desperate resistance by "Taiwan independence" elements cannot stop the rolling wheels of history, said Jiang. 

We sternly warn Lai Ching-te and his ilk that seeking "independence" by force is a dead end. Only by completely abandoning the separatist agenda and following the historical trend toward cross-Straits reunification can Taiwan truly enjoy real peace, Jiang said. 

Global Times