China, Taiwan clash over history, Beijing says can’t ‘invade’ what is already Chinese territory

BEIJING: China and Taiwan clashed over their competing interpretations of history in an escalating war of words over what Beijing views as provocations from Taiwan’s government, and said on Wednesday (Jun 25) it is impossible to “invade” what is already Chinese land.

China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has stepped up military and political pressure over the past five years. China has an especial dislike of Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, calling him a “separatist”.

Lai has since Sunday given two speeches in what will be a series of 10 on “uniting the country”, saying that Taiwan is “of course a country” and China has no legal or historical right to claim it.

Speaking on Wednesday at a regular news briefing in Beijing, Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhu Fenglian said any “independence provocations” from Lai and his administration will face “resolute countermeasures”.

“Though the two sides of the Taiwan Strait have not yet been fully reunified, the historical and legal fact that compatriots on both sides belong to one China and that both sides’ compatriots are Chinese has never changed,” she said.

Tensions between China and Taiwan, including several rounds of Chinese war games, have raised the possibility Beijing may one day make good on threats to take Taiwan by force, which could ignite a regional war.

China’s last war games were in April, and its air force and navy operate around Taiwan on a daily basis, sometimes using dozens of warplanes, according to the island’s defence ministry.

Asked about US comments on Chinese drills strengthening preparations for an attack, Zhu corrected the reporter.

“Taiwan is a part of China; there is no invasion to speak of,” she said.