China's defense ministry says Taiwan independence efforts ‘doomed to fail'

(ECNS) - China's Defense Ministry on Tuesday criticized Taiwan's naval training mission to diplomatic allies in Central and South America, saying the trip was being used by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to pursue independence through foreign support.

Taiwan's navy recently dispatched its "2026 Friendship Fleet Training Mission" to visit countries in Central and South America that maintain diplomatic ties with Taipei, according to Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin.

Responding to a reporter, Jiang said the so-called "friendship" activities were merely an excuse by Taiwan's DPP to "seek independence through reliance on foreign forces."

"The one-China principle is the basic norm governing international relations and a broad consensus of the international community," Jiang said, adding that it forms the political foundation for China's diplomatic relations with 183 countries.

China hopes countries in the region will "follow the historical trend and make the right choice that serves their long-term national interests," Jiang said.

He warned that "any form of separatist activities or political manipulation cannot change the fact that Taiwan belongs to China." "Such attempts are doomed to fail," Jiang said.

(By Zhang Jiahao)