Jiang Bin, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, on Tuesday condemned Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te for hyping up the so-called mainland threat in his recent speech. 

Jiang made the remarks in response to questions over Lai's claim in the fourth installment of his planned "10 lectures on unity."

"Taiwan is a province of China – where does this so-called 'national defense' budget come from?" asked Jiang, rebuking Lai for his reference to the budget in his speech.

Lai distorts history and manipulates concepts, wrapping his secessionist agenda for "Taiwan independence" in meticulously fabricated lies, the spokesperson said.

He also aggressively hypes up the so-called mainland threat, creating security anxiety, manipulates public opinion in Taiwan, and seeks to militarize the local society in attempts to drag the future of Taiwan into the schemes masterminded by external forces, said Jiang.

The spokesperson said Lai's call to "fight for Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu" is in fact a call to fight for the selfish interests of the Democratic Progressive Party and the separatist goal of "Taiwan independence," which attempts to mislead the people of Taiwan onto a dead-end path of "stopping reunification with military force," "selling out Taiwan," and "destroying Taiwan."

Both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one and the same China, and Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu are all sacred territories of China, Jiang said, adding that people on both sides of the Straits are all Chinese.

The more Lai and his faction provoke, the faster their downfall will come, the spokesperson warned. "Armed forces supporting 'Taiwan independence' that act as accomplices to evil will only perish alongside them," he said.

The People's Liberation Army has the confidence and capability to shatter all separatist illusions of "Taiwan independence," and will resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, Jiang said.

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(Cover: Jiang Bin, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, speaks at a regular press briefing in Beijing, China, July 8, 2025. /Ministry of National Defense)