Mainland slams DPP authorities for "selling out" Taiwan to seek "independence"

BEIJING, June 11 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday condemned the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities, led by Lai Ching-te, for recklessly selling out and harming Taiwan's interests to seek "Taiwan independence" for their own political gain.

Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks at a press conference in response to media reports which said that the United States plans to sharply increase arms sales to Taiwan, and that Lai proposed that Taiwan's defense budget should reach at least three percent of its GDP.

Recent polls in Taiwan show that over 60 percent of respondents believe that the United States is seeking to increase military sales to Taiwan for financial gain, and that nearly 70 percent of respondents believe that the United States may double-cross Taiwan in favor of its own interests.

Zhu said the findings of these polls underscore a growing awareness among people in Taiwan of the United States' ulterior motives in treating the island as both an ATM and a powder keg, adding that the polls also reflect widespread skepticism among Taiwan compatriots regarding the United States playing the "Taiwan card" and their concerns about their own future and destiny.

"We firmly oppose U.S. arms sales to China's Taiwan region, and urged the United States to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques," Zhu said. She also urged the United States to handle Taiwan-related issues prudently, stop selling weapons to Taiwan and refrain from arming Taiwan.

She expressed the hope that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait will work together to promote the peaceful and integrated development of cross-Strait relations.