BEIJING: China’s Ministry of National Defense said Friday that most people in Taiwan prefer peace and oppose confrontation, sharply criticizing the authorities under President Lai Ching‑te for pursuing “Taiwan independence” and stoking cross‑Strait tensions.
At a regular press briefing, spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang cited a Taiwan poll showing more than 60 % of respondents unwilling to fight themselves or send family members to war, arguing this reflects the Taiwan public’s desire for peace, development and cross‑Strait exchanges. He denounced separatist forces as out of step with public opinion and “doomed to be thrown into the dustbin of history.”
Zhang dismissed speculation that China might handle Taiwan as the U.S. has with Venezuela, saying the Taiwan issue is a purely internal Chinese matter with no room for external interference. He warned that dealing with armed “Taiwan independence” elements would be like “catching turtles in a jar,” and said strong measures to punish separatist forces remain possible.
On other regional security issues, Zhang rejected a Philippine navy report alleging expanded Chinese control in the South China Sea, reaffirming China’s sovereignty claims and accusing Manila of spreading false narratives to cover up its own provocations. He also cautioned against rising right‑wing forces in Japan pushing toward remilitarization, saying a return to militarism would threaten regional peace and calling for cooperation with peace‑loving countries to uphold the post‑World War II order and stability.
