Mainland slams Lai Ching-te for remarks undermining peace, escalating tensions

There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory – this is the real status quo across the Taiwan Straits, a Chinese mainland spokesperson said on Friday, condemning remarks by Lai Ching-te, leader of the Taiwan region, as an attempt to undermine peace and escalate tensions between the two sides of the Straits.

Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said this in response to a relevant question about Lai's remarks.

Only by upholding the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus can peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits be effectively ensured, enabling people of Taiwan to live better lives and providing greater space and certainty for Taiwan's economy through cross-Straits cooperation and integrated development, Chen said. 

It is an indisputable fact that Taiwan is part of China and the trend of moving toward national reunification is unstoppable, Chen said. 

Whatever Lai says or does cannot change the historical and legal fact that Taiwan is part of China, nor can it alter the international consensus that there is only one China in the world, he added, noting that China's complete reunification is an irreversible trend.

Lai's words and deeds will only undermine peace and stability across the Straits, escalate tensions, increase the burden on the people of Taiwan, jeopardize the region's economy and development prospects, and bring disasters to Taiwan society, Chen stressed.