‘Taiwan Independence Means War,’ Chinese Government Official Warns

The latest sharp warning from Chinese authorities about the redline issue of Taiwanese independence was issued by Chen Binhua, a new spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of China, in Nov. 28 comments to the media. Chen was responding to media reports that Lai Ching-te and Hsiao Bi-khim, both from Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, had recently claimed that the island continues to be threatened by an attack from the mainland. Lai refers to himself as a “worker for Taiwanese independence,” and is campaigning for office in January’s presidential election. He has chosen Hsiao, a former envoy to the U.S., as his running mate.