Mainland slams Lai Ching-te's secessionist narrative

BEIJING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Saturday criticized Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te for clinging to a secessionist mindset, provoking confrontation, and undermining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Zhang Han, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks in response to a media question about Lai's speech delivered in Taipei earlier in the day. Lai's speech disregarded facts, distorted right and wrong, misled the public and harbored ulterior motives, Zhang said, describing it as a typical display of his self-proclaimed stance as a "pragmatic worker for Taiwan independence." In his speech, Lai played up the so-called mainland threat and promoted the false narrative of "democracy versus authoritarianism," Zhang said. Lai was attempting to pursue "Taiwan independence" through military buildup and reliance on external forces, the spokesperson added. The Taiwan question stems from a full-blown civil war fought between the forces led by the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) about eight decades ago. In 1949, the remnants of the defeated KMT retreated to Taiwan, and the People's Republic of China was founded under the leadership of the CPC. The unresolved civil war and foreign interference have left the two sides of the Strait in a prolonged state of political confrontation, but the fact that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory has never changed. The one-China principle is a basic norm governing international relations, a prevailing consensus in the international community, and an integral part of the post-World War II international order, Zhang said. "The future of Taiwan must be decided jointly by all Chinese people, including Taiwan compatriots," the spokesperson said. The mainland will uphold the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, work with people from all sectors of society in Taiwan, resolutely combat secessionist forces, and oppose external interference, Zhang said. The mainland will also deepen cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, and promote the peaceful and integrated development of cross-Strait relations, she noted.