Taiwan authorities should abandon 'independence' stance to avoid war

The best way to avoid war across the Taiwan Straits is for the island's ruling Democratic Progressive Party to abandon its "Taiwan independence" stance, a mainland spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

The island's DPP authorities said recently that it is the Chinese mainland that is threatening Taiwan after The Economist described the island as "the most dangerous place on Earth" in its cover story on May 1.

Zhu Fenglian, a spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said in a news conference that the tension and confrontation between the two sides of the Straits have been caused by the DPP administration and "Taiwan independence" forces.

"They are willing to act as pawns of foreign forces, constantly creating hostility between the two sides and stepping up provocations for independence, which seriously undermined peace and stability across the Straits and harmed the interests of Taiwan compatriots," she said.

"If they intensify such efforts, Taiwan compatriots will be put at risk," she said, adding that the DPP should return to the common political foundation of the 1992 Consensus that embodies the one-China principle and improve cross-Straits relations.

Zhu said measures will be taken to punish the stubborn "Taiwan independence" separatists in accordance with the law and she named Joseph Wu, head of the island's "foreign affairs" department, who made remarks about "Taiwan independence" on recent occasions.

In an interview with the Sydney-based Australian Financial Review last week, Wu said that the mainland is intensifying its "military threat" against Taiwan for a "final assault" against the island. He also asked for support from anti-China forces.

Zhu said "Wu has repeatedly made reckless provocations for 'Taiwan independence' and viciously slandered the mainland, which incited confrontation between the two sides."

"Firmly cracking down on separatists and stopping their acts is necessary for maintaining a peaceful development of cross-Straits relations," she added.

Zhu urged relevant countries to abide by the one-China principle and not provide help for the DPP authorities to seek "independence" in the international arena.

She also condemned the DPP authorities for hyping up the idea of joining the WHO. Last week, G7 foreign ministers voiced support for Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly, which will meet on May 24. The island did not receive an invitation to the assembly this year.