At a recent press conference, Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, directly criticized the DPP authorities for boosting the Taiwan region's defense budget to over 3% of GDP. He argued that this move, driven by a separatist stance and reliance on external forces, risks squandering resources and harming residents' livelihoods.
Citing a new white paper from Taiwan authorities that calls for easing cross-strait exchanges and tapping into the mainland's market, Chen noted that local businesses have expressed concerns over current cross-strait policies. "Many industries on the island are facing survival challenges due to tariffs and economic pressures," he said, pointing to a 20% import tariff imposed by the United States as a key factor.
According to Chen, the vast Chinese mainland market offers an opportunity for sustained development and a solution to external challenges. He urged deeper industrial and supply chain cooperation to strengthen the Chinese national economy and benefit both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
However, he warned that the DPP authorities' strategy of "relying on the U.S. to resist China" could provoke public anger and erode popular support by defying market laws, promoting decoupling, and ignoring the survival needs of local enterprises.
Reference(s):
Mainland accuses Taiwan's DPP of sacrificing island's interests
cgtn.com
