BEIJING – The Chinese mainland on Wednesday denounced Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities for boasting about so-called tariff concessions from the United States, terming their claims "self-deception" and a "laughing stock."

Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks at a press conference while responding to a media query about a recent US announcement that certain non-semiconductor tariff concessions for Taiwan took effect on May 1. According to the Taiwan authorities, the concession would help enhance the competitiveness of related industries.

Refuting the claims, Zhu accused the DPP of "kowtowing to the US" at the expense of Taiwan's core industries, development prospects, and the interests and well-being of its people.

She said the DPP authorities had offered massive concessions, including a promised $500 billion of investment in the US and zero tariffs on 4,885 industrial and 1,482 agricultural products from the US, in exchange for only symbolic tariff reductions.

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"The DPP authorities, far from feeling ashamed, are brazenly claiming credit," the spokesperson said, adding that such moves would neither deceive Taiwan's industrial sector nor its people, and would only backfire, leaving the DPP to reap what it sows.

Consequences for selling out natl interests

Responding to a question about a recent Japan-Philippines joint statement announcing so-called maritime delimitation talks, a move backed by the DPP authorities, Zhu warned that the DPP authorities would face consequences for seeking support from external forces at the expense of national interests.

“There is but one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China.”

The maritime area that Japan and the Philippines plan to delimit lies to the east of China's Taiwan Island, said the spokesperson.

"The so-called maritime delimitation talks seriously infringe upon China's maritime rights and interests, seriously violate international law and the basic norms governing international relations, and are entirely illegal and invalid," she added.

Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are members of the Chinese nation and should safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and protect the overall interests of the Chinese nation, Zhu said.