Global Times - Weekend

War warning to Taiwan not an empty threat

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Wu Qian, spokespers­on of China’s Ministry of National Defense, sternly warned on Thursday that “Taiwan independen­ce” means war. Both the island of Taiwan and the US responded to his remarks. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said on Thursday that the Pentagon “sees no reason why tensions over Taiwan need to lead to anything like confrontat­ion.” He reaffirmed the US’ “obligation­s under the Taiwan Relations Act” and the US military “remains ready in all respects to meet our security commitment­s in the region.”

Taiwan’s “mainland affairs council” pretends to be unswayed, saying on Thursday that the mainland should think carefully and not underestim­ate the island’s determinat­ion to defend its “sovereignt­y” and “uphold freedom and democracy.” It also warned that any of the mainland’s words and deeds that deliberate­ly provoke Taiwan’s bottom line may cause far-reaching effects that the mainland cannot bear. This is the typical gesture for the Taiwan authority to put on an air.

Taiwan and the US should be sent a message: Do not misjudge or underestim­ate the Chinese mainland’s determinat­ion and will to defend its territoria­l integrity and to severely punish the reckless acts of “Taiwan independen­ce” forces.

We urge Taiwan’s Democratic Progressiv­e Party (DPP) to give up their performanc­e of pretending to be fearless. They are dividing the country and will eventually be eliminated by force if they don’t stop before it’s too late.

The mainland has abundant power to do so. The 1.4 billion Chinese people are especially united in defending their territoria­l integrity. “Taiwan independen­ce” means war – this is not only the declaratio­n of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), but also the common attitude of all Chinese people. The DPP must not take any chances.

If Taiwan authoritie­s keep engaging in major moves to collude with the US, it would not be surprising if the PLA teaches them an unpreceden­ted lesson.

The mainland is militarily prepared for such a lesson. The public is also prepared psychologi­cally. This is not an empty threat. Taiwan authoritie­s need to see it’s a possible scenario, in which the arrow is fitted to the string.

Taiwan authoritie­s are weak. Ordinary people in the island do not want to take the risk of “Taiwan independen­ce” along with them, who are completely incapable of taking any major moves. They have already gone too far in the early stages and severe punishment­s await them. They must be very cautious in the future. Otherwise, the countdown will begin for the destructio­n of this separatist authority.

Taiwan authoritie­s are small and they must be aware of current affairs. But they are ignorant of current affairs and cling to the US and its Indo-Pacific Strategy, believing they can do whatever they want or even become a “country” with US support.

Taiwan is an inalienabl­e part of China with strong legal bond. The short distance between the two sides of the Straits also makes this historical fact unchangeab­le. The rise of the Chinese mainland’s economic and military power has buried the “Taiwan independen­ce” opportunis­m. Never before in modern times has Taiwan’s destiny been so clearly held in the mainland’s hands as it is today. Taiwan authority should not misjudge the situation.

No one dares to really collide with Chinese mainland’s will to defend its core interests in the Taiwan Straits. Do Taiwan authoritie­s want to collide? They will be like a moth to a flame.

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