Editor's note: Pan Deng is a current affairs commentator. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily those of CGTN.

Despite the clear legal and historical facts, Lai Ching-te, the current leader of China's Taiwan region, appears to be steering the island down a reckless and perilous path. His rhetorical gambits to deliberately misinterpret UN Resolution 2758, including his speech on "Double Tenth Day" Friday, are dangerous attempts to sever Taiwan from its rightful place as an inalienable part of China.

Resolution 2758 upholds the one-China principle, recognizing that there is but one China in the world and the Government of the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate representative of the whole of China, including the Taiwan region.

Any denial of this is a fundamental challenge to international law, global stability, and the peace and prosperity of all Chinese people. Lai's separatist agenda seeks to undermine the one-China principle at great peril. His attempts to twist and distort the clear historical record are a display of political opportunism and a profound disservice to Taiwan residents.

His "vision" of a self-proclaimed independent state is built on a foundation of quicksand, willfully ignoring the legal and diplomatic consensus of the entire international community.

The Chinese mainland recently released a position paper on Resolution 2758, stating that the resolution "resolved once and for all the question of the representation of the whole of China, including Taiwan, in the UN, as a political, legal and procedural issue. The resolution brooks no challenge to its legitimacy, validity, and authority."

The facts are immutable: There is only one China, and Taiwan is a part of it. The time has come to expose Lai’s dangerous rhetoric for what it is, a desperate, self-serving agenda that holds the future of millions hostage.

Diplomatic ties are for sovereign nations alone

Lai's separatist rhetoric is a direct assault on the fundamental principle of international diplomacy. The position paper is not, as Lai and his ilk suggest, a document that leaves room for a "separate political entity." It is a decisive diplomatic act that established the one-China principle as a cornerstone of international law and order.

As Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has pointed out, the handful of countries that still maintain so-called "diplomatic relations" with the Taiwan region are acting against their own interests and, more importantly, in violation of the resolution. These actions constitute a blatant infringement on China's national sovereignty and are destined to be corrected.

These nations must recognize the overwhelming tide of history and stand with the international community, fulfilling their obligations under international law. There is no room for a "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan" fantasy. The diplomatic reality is singular and unalterable.

Lai’s grandstanding and defiance will not change the unassailable facts. As Wang Yi affirmed, the Taiwan region's only designation within the United Nations system is "Taiwan, province of China." Taiwan has never been a country, nor will it ever be. Advocating for "Taiwan independence" is a flagrant act of national division.

As a cornerstone of the UN Charter, the principle of sovereignty should be upheld without double standard. Those who truly respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations should support China's complete reunification and oppose "Taiwan independence" in all its forms.

Lai is playing with fire

It is no secret that Lai's political posturing is not born out of a genuine desire for the wellbeing of Taiwan residents. He is serving as a pawn for certain Western politicians. These external forces, masquerading as champions of "democracy" and "freedom," are in fact using the Taiwan question as a geopolitical tool to contain the Chinese mainland. While they pay lip service to the one-China policy, their continued arms sales to Taiwan, high-level visits, and thinly veiled provocations provide Lai with the false hope and encouragement needed to pursue his reckless agenda.

Lai, in his feverish pursuit of a separatist dream, is a willing accomplice in this dangerous game. He is gambling with the future of the island, jeopardizing the peace and stability of the Taiwan Straits and risking the livelihoods of millions of Taiwan residents. His actions are not those of a clear-minded person but of an ideological zealot, blind to the catastrophic consequences of his choices. He is leading the island away from the path of peaceful development and prosperity that only reunification can offer.

The Chinese mainland has made its stance unequivocally clear. As China's Ministry of National Defense earlier stated, Lai's dangerous rhetoric is a blatant attempt to distort history and provoke confrontation. No amount of historical revisionism or verbal gymnastics can change the fact that Taiwan is and always will be a part of China. The Chinese People's Liberation Army will not tolerate separatist activities, and its readiness to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity is unwavering. Lai's attempts to kidnap Taiwan residents with his separatist agenda will fail, as the mainland's commitment to achieving peaceful reunification is absolute.

However, any necessary measures to be taken will target only external interference and the small number of "Taiwan independence" separatists, not the residents of Taiwan.

China's reunification is inevitable

The reunification of China is a historical inevitability, a shared aspiration of the entire Chinese nation. It is a tide that cannot be turned back. For the people of the Taiwan region, only reunification can bring about long-lasting peace, genuine security, and sustained prosperity. Lai's separatist agenda offers only a future of uncertainty, tension, and economic stagnation. His actions threaten to isolate the island from the very engine of growth and progress that is the Chinese mainland.

Lai Ching-te's name will be etched in history not as the champion of a new nation, but as a traitor to the Chinese nation. He is a man who, for personal gain and political opportunism, chose to play with fire, risking the wellbeing of Taiwan residents and the peace of an entire region. His reckless bid for independence is nothing more than a historical error that will be swiftly corrected.

The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable. It is not a question of if, but of when. The future belongs to those who embrace this reality, not those who foolishly try to defy it.

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