China says Taiwan president hostile; as polls show Taiwanese willing to defend island
by AFP Staff Writers
Beijing (AFP) Oct 9, 2024

China has accused Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te of escalating "hostility" and pursuing independence, as the self-ruled island prepared to celebrate its National Day.

China, which split with Taiwan at the end of a civil war in 1949, regards the island as part of its territory that must eventually be reunified, by force if necessary.

Lai, who took power in May after his Democratic Progressive Party won a record third term, has been a vocal defender of Taiwan's sovereignty, angering Beijing.

Zhu Fenglian, a spokeswoman for a Chinese body in charge of Taiwan affairs, said Lai had "recycled the 'Taiwan independence' fallacy once again" and exposed "his malicious intent to escalate hostility and confrontation".

Zhu's remarks, reported by state media late Tuesday, were in response to Lai saying it was "impossible" for China to be the "motherland" of Taiwan.

"One of the most important meanings of these celebrations is that we must remember that we are a sovereign and independent country, and we must always cherish and love our country," Lai said Saturday ahead of Taiwan's National Day.

Three members of the US Congress will be among the foreign guests in attendance when Lai delivers his National Day speech on Thursday, which will likely touch on the island's China policies.

China's defence spokesman Wu Qian said Wednesday that the United States was "adding fuel to the fire on the Taiwan issue" by providing arms to Taipei, and "pushing Taiwan step by step into a dangerous situation of war."

Taiwan was on alert for Chinese military drills near the island on National Day after observing "some maritime deployments", a senior security official told AFP on Wednesday.

Beijing maintains a near-daily military presence around Taiwan and in the past two years China has held three rounds of large-scale war games, deploying aircraft and ships to encircle the island.

Chinese President Xi Jinping recently used his country's national day celebrations to reiterate his call for the reunification of China and Taiwan.

"Achieving complete national reunification is the common aspiration of the Chinese people," Xi said.

"It is an irreversible trend, a matter of justice, and it is in accordance with the popular will. No one can stop the march of history," he said.

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