At the December 24 press conference of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, a reporter asked: Recently, Taiwan’s executive authorities passed draft amendments to the so-called “National Security Law” and other legislation, stating that anyone who advocates that foreign countries or mainland China wage war on Taiwan, or who expresses support for non-peaceful means to eliminate the so-called “sovereignty of the Republic of China,” will face heavy penalties, with even harsher punishment for active-duty military personnel and civil servants. What is your comment?

Spokesperson Peng Qing’en replied that the Lai Ching-te administration stubbornly adheres to a separatist “Taiwan independence” stance and ignores the mainstream public desire in Taiwan for peace, development, exchange, and cooperation. It deliberately stirs up “anti-China” sentiment in an attempt to “seek independence by relying on external forces” and “seek independence by force,” continuously escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait. This move is a concrete action under its so-called “17-point strategy,” aimed at heightening cross-Strait confrontation, undermining cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, and intensifying the creation of a “green terror” and a “chilling effect,” all in service of its “Taiwan independence autocracy” and “green authoritarianism.”

He expressed the hope that the broad masses of Taiwan compatriots will clearly recognize the extreme danger and harmfulness of the Lai administration’s “Taiwan independence” line, and stand with the mainland in firmly opposing separatism and external interference and in firmly opposing efforts to drag the Taiwan Strait toward war.

At the December 24 press conference of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, a reporter asked: The Economist recently published an article stating that although some of Taiwan’s recent economic indicators appear favorable, ordinary people do not feel any improvement in their livelihoods—something it referred to as the “Taiwan sickness.” In response, the head of Taiwan’s economic authorities claimed, “We are not sick; the ones who are sick are those who say we are,” prompting widespread criticism on the island for being “arrogant and self-deluded.” What is your comment?

Spokesperson Peng Qing’en replied that it is indeed a fact that uncertainty in Taiwan’s economic development is rising and that economic imbalances are worsening. It is also a fact that the wealth gap continues to widen and that ordinary people do not feel any improvement in their standard of living. For the selfish interests of its party, the DPP authorities ignore the risks of Taiwan’s high-tech industries being hollowed out by the United States and Western countries, disregard the deep difficulties traditional industries face amid high tariffs, and persist in currying favor with external forces without principle and selling out Taiwan without bottom line. They gloss over problems and deceive the public, but such self-deception and refusal to face reality cannot conceal their governance failures.

Ultimately, the root cause of the so-called “Taiwan sickness” is the DPP authorities’ malicious provocations in pursuit of “Taiwan independence”; the underlying pathology is their reckless disregard for people’s livelihoods; and the symptoms are their shameless eagerness to exhaust Taiwan’s resources in exchange for approval from external forces.

At the December 24 press conference of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, a reporter asked: Recently, the DPP authorities sent representatives to attend the United States’ first “Silicon Peace Summit,” claiming that Taiwan can play a key role in the so-called “global democratic semiconductor supply chain.” What is your comment?

Spokesperson Peng Qing’en responded that China opposes the United States providing a stage for “Taiwan independence” elements. Lai Ching-te and the DPP authorities, in pursuit of “independence,” deliberately incite ideological confrontation and promote the false narrative of “democracy versus authoritarianism,” which wins no public support. The so-called “democratic supply chain” is, in essence, the Lai administration violating economic and market principles and currying favor with external forces without bottom line—selling off Taiwan’s advantageous industries, sacrificing Taiwan’s development prospects, and destroying the livelihoods of the Taiwan people—all in exchange for external support for their separatist agenda. Their words and actions will only intensify tensions in the Taiwan Strait, increase the burden on the Taiwan public, and ultimately destroy Taiwan’s economic lifeline and its future development prospects.

At the December 24 press conference of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, a reporter asked: Lai Ching-te recently stated that he plans to allocate NT$1.25 trillion as a “special defense budget.” Immediately afterward, media on the island revealed that small companies in Tainan and Kaohsiung—such as renovation firms and shoe manufacturers—had unexpectedly won defense contracts worth hundreds of millions of NT dollars. Public opinion on the island is saying that “traditional industries in the south have suddenly become arms tycoons,” questioning whether certain forces are “escorting” these deals and whether the defense industry has become “a channel for profiting from war.” What is your comment?

Spokesperson Peng Qing’en replied that the DPP authorities, in order to “seek independence through military means,” are recklessly squandering the hard-earned money of the people of Taiwan to purchase foreign weapons, while also using the opportunity to line their own pockets through corruption and profiteering. He expressed hope that Taiwan compatriots will clearly see the malicious intentions and ugly face of the DPP authorities, guard their own wallets through concrete action, and stop being deceived.

At the December 24 press conference of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, a reporter asked: Today (December 24), public security authorities issued a reward notice seeking information on the criminal smuggling activities of Taiwan residents Jian Wensheng and Chen Shunjin, who allegedly operated the Togolese-flagged vessel Hongtai 58 and other ships to smuggle frozen goods into the mainland over a long period. In February this year, the DPP authorities falsely claimed that the Hongtai 58 cable-damage incident in the Taiwan Strait was “deliberate sabotage” by the mainland and a form of “gray-zone harassment.” What is your comment?

Spokesperson Peng Qing’en responded that investigations by public security authorities have determined that Taiwan residents Jian Wensheng and Chen Shunjin are habitual smugglers who operated the Hongtai 58 and other vessels to smuggle frozen products into the mainland over a long period. Public security authorities have now issued a reward notice for these two individuals and hope that compatriots on both sides of the Strait will actively provide clues regarding their illegal activities. Relevant authorities will strictly protect the informants’ information and lawful rights in accordance with the law.

Peng further stated that the Hongtai 58 incident that occurred in February was in fact the result of Jian and Chen engaging in smuggling activities while operating the vessel. The DPP authorities ignored the facts of the case and maliciously hyped claims of mainland “gray-zone harassment,” attempting to provoke confrontation and antagonism across the Strait. He warned that by shielding and condoning smuggling crimes and seizing the opportunity to carry out political manipulation that undermines cross-Strait relations, the DPP authorities will inevitably face united opposition from compatriots on both sides of the Strait—and ultimately reap the consequences of their own actions.

A reporter asked: Recently, the China Coast Guard again entered the so-called “prohibited waters” near Kinmen to conduct law-enforcement patrols. Does the Taiwan Affairs Office have information on this, and what is your comment?

Spokesperson Chen Binhua of the Taiwan Affairs Office replied that Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu are all parts of China. The waters between Xiamen and Kinmen have since ancient times been traditional fishing grounds used by fishermen on both sides of the Strait; the so-called “prohibited” or “restricted waters” simply do not exist. The China Coast Guard’s routine law-enforcement patrols in the relevant waters help maintain order for maritime production activities and safeguard the lives and property of fishermen on both sides of the Strait. We sternly warn the DPP authorities to recognize the historical and objective fact that fishermen across the Strait have long worked together in these traditional fishing grounds, and to stop the unwarranted seizure and detention of, and especially the use of dangerous and rough methods against, mainland fishing vessels and fishermen. Otherwise, they must bear all the consequences.

A reporter asked on December 19 about the signing into law of the U.S. “Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act,” which includes provisions allocating US$1 billion for the “Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative” and other Taiwan-related items. What is your comment on this?

Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, responded that the U.S. has inserted erroneous Taiwan-related content into the “FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act,” attempting to further “arm Taiwan,” interfere in China’s internal affairs, and send a seriously wrong signal to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces. We are strongly dissatisfied with this and firmly oppose it.

We demand that the U.S. abide by the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-U.S. Joint Communiqués, refrain from implementing the Act’s Taiwan-related provisions and eliminate the negative impact, and handle the Taiwan question with utmost prudence. We sternly warn the DPP authorities that no matter how they attempt to “rely on the U.S. to seek independence,” they cannot change the fact that Taiwan is part of China, cannot change the doomed fate of “Taiwan independence,” and cannot stop the historical trend toward China’s inevitable reunification.