This undated photo shows the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, China's Taiwan. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

BEIJING – A Chinese mainland spokesman on Wednesday said that the United States always prioritizes its own interests, and Taiwan is merely a "pawn" used to contain the Chinese mainland's development.

Chen Binhua, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks in response to recent statement made by Chiu Kuo-cheng, head of Taiwan's defense authority, regarding the increase of the frequency of precision ammunition shooting drills in response to the mainland and the increase in the rotation of US military personnel assigned to Taiwan.

Chen said that this development once again proved that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities' claims of seeking peace are false, and their true intention of "seeking independence through military means" is real.

Any attempt to seek 'independence' through military means or rely on external forces for 'independence' will only lead to danger and ultimately result in self-destruction for Taiwan.

Chen Binhua, Spokesman, State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, China

"By closely aligning with the US to carry out so-called military training programs, the DPP is gradually pushing the people of Taiwan into crisis," he said.

Chen said that while the US claimed to support Taiwan, its actions are leading to the destruction of Taiwan.

He warned the DPP authorities that "Taiwan independence" and peace in the Taiwan Strait are incompatible.

"Any attempt to seek 'independence' through military means or rely on external forces for 'independence' will only lead to danger and ultimately result in self-destruction for Taiwan," he added.

National reunification unstoppable

The historical trend toward a stronger China, national rejuvenation, and reunification cannot be stopped, said the spokesman.

Despite the current complex situation across the Taiwan Strait, the fundamentals for  cross-Strait relations and its development direction have not changed and will not, he said.

The mainland will uphold the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, refine institutions and policies to improve the wellbeing of Taiwan compatriots, advance cross-Strait integrated development and step up joint efforts to promote the Chinese culture, Chen said.

Chen urged people of Taiwan to have a clear understanding of what is good for them and what is not, uphold the overall interests of the Chinese nation, and work with people on the mainland for national reunification and rejuvenation.

Information cocoons slammed

Chen also said those creating information cocoons on the island of Taiwan and smearing the mainland are truly frightening.

He made the remarks in response to a media inquiry regarding a social media influencer from Taiwan who shared insights from his recent visit to Beijing and Shanghai, applauding the sophistication of science and technology on the mainland. The influencer's remarks received great support from netizens but met vehement attacks from internet trolls in Taiwan.

The mainland is not backward; rather, those lying with their eyes wide open are absolutely backward, the spokesperson said.

Fatal boat incident

Chen condemned the DPP authorities for evading their responsibilities in the handling of a fatal boat incident.

Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks at a press conference on the incident of Feb14 when the Taiwan side's brutal expulsion of a mainland fishing boat resulted in injuries and deaths of the fishermen aboard.

Chen said up till now, the families of the fishermen have not received a single apology or any truth, while the Taiwan authorities have been delaying the resolution of the incident under the pretext of "investigation procedures."

READ MORE: Mainland condemns Taiwan's fatal expulsion of Fujian boat

"The Taiwan authorities are indeed heartless, unrighteous and unreasonable," the spokesperson said.

Cross-Strait tourism

The DPP authorities are entirely responsible for the fact that cross-Strait tourism cannot be fully restored, said the spokesman.

Residents of Taiwan have a strong interest in traveling to the Chinese mainland, and the island's tourism industry has been consistently urging the DPP authorities to lift the ban as soon as possible.

According to reports from Taiwan media, on March 1 which marked the first day for Taiwan travel agencies to resume organizing tours to the mainland, at least 50 tour groups comprising thousands of people from the island traveled to the mainland.

Taiwan's tourism industry has urged the DPP authorities to respond to the enthusiasm of the island's residents for travel and to promptly lift the ban on group tours to the mainland.

Since last year, Taiwan authorities have repeatedly claimed to have made plans to resume Taiwan travel agencies' group tours to the mainland. However, in February of this year, they announced that the original plan would no longer be implemented.

The tourism regulatory authorities in Taiwan abruptly changed their policy, halting the group tours to the mainland that were originally scheduled to open after the Spring Festival. They only allowed tourists who had completed the registration procedures to travel in groups from March to the end of May, and ordered travel agencies to stop selling group tour tickets from that day onwards.