Taiwan's status as part of China remains unchanged regardless of new U.S. gov't appointments: spokesperson

"No matter who holds what position in the new U.S. government, it does not change the fact that Taiwan is part of China," Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office responded on Wednesday to an inquiry over Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te's recent remarks, which claimed that several key members of President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet, including Marco Rubio, who has been nominated as Secretary of State, have strong ties with Taiwan and the relations between the island and the U.S. are "at their best in history."

Lai persistently relies on the U.S. to seek "Taiwan independence," but he will inevitably face the tragic outcome of being abandoned,” said Chen.