Red Star News:

For some time, the DPP authorities have colluded with external forces in successive provocative actions designed to divide the country, and the United States has continued to gang up with some countries to use Taiwan as a pawn to contain China. The visit of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan has escalated the tension across the Taiwan Strait. What measures will be adopted by the mainland to keep effectively deterring separatist schemes or activities for Taiwan independence? Thank you.

Zhu Fenglian:

All those concerned about cross-Strait relations and the situation in the Taiwan Strait have paid great attention to this question. There are many concerns and suggestions as well. Why is that? Since 2016, cross-Strait relations have been faced with severe and complicated challenges, and the situation in the Taiwan Strait has been tense and unstable. The root cause is that the DPP authorities have stubbornly adopted a separatist stance, catered to schemes of external forces to exploit Taiwan to contain China, and taken successive provocative actions designed to divide the country, seriously undermining the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, endangering national sovereignty and territorial integrity and damaging the common interests of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and the overall interests of the Chinese nation.

The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, grasping the overall situation of cross-Strait relations from the perspective of the general interests of the Chinese nation, has appropriately responded to changes in the situation in the Taiwan Strait and taken concrete actions to resolutely crack down on various provocations to seek Taiwan independence. It resolutely foils all external interference, effectively deters and thwarts separatist activities seeking Taiwan independence and firmly grasps the initiative in cross-Strait relations.

The U.S. and other external forces are playing the Taiwan card, constantly hollowing out the one-China principle and condoning separatist forces advocating Taiwan independence to take risks and provocations. They use Taiwan as a pawn to contain China's development and progress and obstruct the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This has led to the continuous escalation of tensions in the Taiwan Strait and seriously damaged the interests, well-being and bright future of Taiwan compatriots. U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi insisted on visiting China's Taiwan region despite strong opposition from China in August this year. Her visit was a severe escalation of Taiwan-U.S. collusion. It gravely infringes on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, severely violates the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, seriously tramples on international law and the basic norms governing international relations, breaks the serious political commitment the United States has made to China, and sends a seriously wrong signal to forces seeking Taiwan independence. We expressed our strong condemnation and protest, and took a series of resolute and decisive countermeasures.

It is worth noting that our resolute and decisive countermeasures are targeted against separatist activities seeking Taiwan independence and interference by external forces, not the majority of Taiwan compatriots. We will continue to unite all anti-independence forces and positive elements on the island, expand cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, deepen cross-Strait integration and development, foster the common interests of compatriots on both sides of the Strait, and forge closer bonds, so as to isolate and combat forces seeking Taiwan independence, and strengthen and shape the general trend of opposing independence and promoting reunification. 

We would also like to stress that seeking Taiwan independence is a dead end and will only push the Taiwan compatriots into danger. The Taiwan question concerns China's core interests and the Chinese people's national sentiments. Any attempt by external forces to use the Taiwan question to obstruct China's development and reunification will fail. We are ready to create vast space for peaceful reunification; but we will leave no room for separatist activities in any form. No one should underestimate our resolve, will and ability to defend China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, while with the strong guarantee of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the material foundation accumulated over 40 years of reform and opening up, as well as with the solid public will of the Chinese people, we will surely be able to overcome the risks and challenges on the way forward, resolutely smash any separatist schemes for Taiwan independence, firmly oppose the interferences of all external forces, and solidly advance the process of national reunification. Thank you.