Chinese mainland slams Taiwan content in US defense authorization act

The Chinese mainland has expressed its strong dissatisfaction with and firm opposition to the United States' latest National Defense Authorization Act for containing negative Taiwan-related content.

Chen Binhua, a spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, told a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday that Taiwan is an integral part of China, the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair, and it brooks no external interference.

He was responding to the latest NDAA, which was passed and signed into law by the US despite China's opposition. On Monday, the external affairs department of the administration in Taiwan expressed its gratitude for the enactment of the law.

Chen said the blatant interference by the US in the Taiwan question seriously violated the one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiqués, sending a grave and erroneous signal to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and causing significant harm to the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait.

He said that while some in the US claim to desire peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, their actions have actually accelerated the arming of Taiwan and incited confrontation between the two sides of the Strait.

"We urge the US to earnestly abide by the solemn political commitments it made to China on the Taiwan question, honor its statement of not supporting 'Taiwan independence' with concrete actions, stop implementing the NDAA's negative clauses related to Taiwan, immediately cease arming Taiwan, and stop intervening in Taiwan's regional elections," he said.

Chen criticized the Democratic Progressive Party authorities in Taiwan for proclaiming that war is not an option for the island while intensifying efforts to seek independence through reliance on the US and force.

"No matter how many weapons the DPP authorities acquire from the US, it cannot shake our steadfast determination to resolve the Taiwan question and achieve national reunification, and cannot withstand our powerful capability to thwart the 'Taiwan independence' plot and safeguard national sovereignty," he said.