China's Ministry of National Defense has strongly criticized Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te for amplifying tensions through what it called "baseless rhetoric" about military threats from the Chinese mainland. The rebuke came during a press briefing on Tuesday, where spokesperson Jiang Bin denounced Lai's recent speech as a destabilizing attempt to distort cross-strait relations.
Jiang specifically challenged Lai's reference to a "national defense" budget, stating: "Taiwan is a province of China – where does this so-called 'national defense' budget come from?" The remarks followed Lai's fourth installment of his '10 lectures on unity' series, which Beijing claims misrepresents the mainland's stance on unification.
The exchange highlights ongoing friction in cross-strait relations, with Chinese authorities reiterating their commitment to peaceful reunification while opposing any moves suggesting Taiwanese independence. Analysts note such statements could impact regional stability and investor confidence in technology and trade sectors linked to the Taiwan Strait.
