BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping's remarks during the phone call with US President Donald Trump are of great guiding significance for the Chinese mainland's work related to Taiwan, a mainland spokesperson said.

Peng Qing'en, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks at a press conference on Wednesday in response to a media query concerning the Monday night call between the two leaders.

During the call, Xi clarified China's principled position on the Taiwan question, emphasizing the need for China and the United States to jointly safeguard the victorious outcomes of World War II.

Noting that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the restoration of Taiwan to China, Peng said the mainland will unite compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to resolutely oppose "Taiwan independence" separatist activities, promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, maintain cross-Strait peace and stability, and create enduring well-being for the Chinese nation. 

Lai Ching-te slammed 

Also on Wednesday, Peng criticized Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te for publicly siding with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi over her recent remarks on Taiwan, slamming Lai's statements and actions as "disgusting".

He accused Lai of "eating the food of ingratiation towards Japan and engaging in acts of selling out Taiwan".

Peng said Lai's words and deeds once again exposed his "ugly face of forgetting the heritage, betraying the motherland".

The spokesperson warned the Democratic Progressive Party authorities that "any act relying on external forces will only lead to disgrace, and any traitor who betrays the nation will inevitably face the judgment of justice".

Peng was responding to a question on Takaichi's recent comments on Taiwan, which have triggered sustained protests across the island. Lai defended her and posted a photo of himself eating Japanese cuisine on social media, claiming it showed the "solid friendship" between the island and Japan.

The mainland spokesperson said Takaichi's remarks grossly interfered in China's internal affairs, seriously violated international law and basic norms governing international relations, gravely undermined the post-war international order, and seriously breached the one-China principle and the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan.

Peng urged the Japanese side to "immediately reflect and correct its mistake" and withdraw the "erroneous statements" concerning Taiwan.