Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang. Photo: Chinese Defense Ministry

Responding to hypes by external forces regarding the just-concluded "Justice Mission 2025" joint drills, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang said on Friday that China will never allow any force to tie our hands in curbing "Taiwan independence" separatist activities in the name of safeguarding cross-Straits peace. He urged relevant countries to stop conniving at and supporting "Taiwan independence" forces, and stop stirring up trouble on the Taiwan question.

Multiple forces of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) started drills code-named "Justice Mission 2025" around Taiwan Island earlier this week.

Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te claimed that this military drill has brought "uncertain risks to regional stability." Countries including the US, Japan, Australia, the Philippines, as well as the European Union, have made irresponsible comments about the exercise, claiming the Chinese mainland should "exercise restraint" while opposing any "unilateral change to the status quo" across the Taiwan Strait. 

When asked to respond to the foreign hypes, Zhang noted that the successful organization of the drills has fully tested the integrated joint operation capabilities of the task forces, fully demonstrated the strong capability to combat "Taiwan independence" and promote reunification as well as counter external interference. 

It also clearly made it known that any egregious act of crossing the line and provoking trouble on the Taiwan question will surely be met with resolute countermeasures, and that any sinister attempt to obstruct China's reunification will never succeed, Zhang said.

Zhang reiterated that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair that brooks no external interference. 

"The PLA's organization of anti-secession and anti-interference operations in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan island is completely legitimate, necessary and beyond reproach," Zhang said, "The overriding status quo across the Taiwan Strait is that both sides of the Strait belong to one and the same China, and the gravest threat to peace and stability across the Strait lies in 'Taiwan independence' separatist activities and the connivance and support from external forces." 

"No one cherishes peace across the Taiwan Strait more than we do, yet we will never allow any individual or force to tie our hands in curbing 'Taiwan independence' separatist activities in the name of safeguarding cross-Strait peace; we will never tolerate any individual or force interfering in China's internal affairs and undermining stability across the Straits under the pretext of peace," the spokesperson stressed.

Zhang urged relevant countries and institutions to strictly abide by the one-China principle, stop conniving at and supporting "Taiwan independence" forces, and stop stirring up trouble on the Taiwan question. 

He also called upon compatriots in Taiwan to clearly see the grave dangers and harms posed by Lai's "Taiwan independence" separatist acts that endanger peace, avoid being misled and coerced by those forces, and earnestly safeguard their own safety and well-being as well as the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation. 

"The PLA will continue to enhance combat preparedness, stand ready at all times to counter provocative acts, resolutely foil all external interference attempts, and safeguard China's national sovereignty, reunification and territorial integrity," Zhang said. 

Global Times