Mainland slams DPP for 'selling out Taiwan'

Taiwan's true value to the United States lies in being "fat meat "and a "cash machine", a Chinese mainland spokeswoman warned on Wednesday, adding that Washington views the island as "a pawn to contain the mainland and a tool to serve US interests".

Zhang Han, spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said persistently relying on foreign powers in pursuit of "independence" would "inevitably lead to self-destruction".

She made the remarks at a news conference in response to Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te's recent push to increase the island's "defense "budget and purchase weapons from the US.

"For the sake of political self-interest, the Lai authorities bow and curry favor with external forces, pandering to the United States without principles and selling out Taiwan without limits," Zhang said.

Lai recently proposed a $40 billion supplementary "defense "package, saying the funds would be used to buy arms from the US military. Zhang criticized the Democratic Progressive Party authorities for squandering money that could be used to improve livelihoods and boost the economy, accusing them of prioritizing party interests and cozying up to foreign powers. "Buying weapons does not bring security; instead, it accelerates Taiwan's slide into danger," she said.

Social groups in Taiwan held a protest on Sunday opposing what they called the hollowing out of Taiwan to please the US and rejecting the proposed increase in "defense" spending.

On Tuesday, "lawmakers" from the Chinese Kuomintang and the Taiwan People's Party blocked the $40 billion supplementary "defense" budget bill from being placed on the agenda for Friday's "legislative yuan" plenary session.

According to Reuters, as part of trade negotiations with the US to reduce the tariff rate from 20 percent to 15 percent, Taiwan plans to expand investment in the US semiconductor industry.

Zhang said the DPP authorities "are willing to drain Taiwan's resources, even at the expense of its industries," showing disregard for the livelihoods and future of Taiwan's 23 million residents. She said the authorities have "long lost basic reason and conscience".

She also pointed to a recent recommendation by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission that Taiwan assist in upgrading US military bases in the Philippines through non-weapons support services.

"Colluding with external forces to provoke trouble and undermine regional peace and stability will inevitably end in self-destruction," Zhang warned the DPP authorities.

In Washington on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump signed into law the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, which requires the State Department to regularly review and update guidelines governing interactions with Taiwan.

"We firmly oppose any form of military contact between the United States and Taiwan," Zhang said, urging Washington to adhere to the one-China principle, handle Taiwan-related matters prudently and stop sending misleading signals to "Taiwan independence "separatist forces.