Taiwan scaremongering with talk of possible attack: China

China has accused Taiwan of scaremongering after the self-ruled island warned of a possible Chinese attack, saying Beijing could resort to military conflict to divert domestic pressure if an economic slowdown bites.

Last week, Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said China could attack the self-ruled island if any threat to the ruling Communist Party arose from any slowdown in the world’s second largest economy amid a trade war with the US. 

Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council, told a regular news conference in Beijing on Wednesday that Wu’s comments were “complete nonsense and absolute rubbish.”

“Recently, in order to seek benefit for the elections, they have been weaving various lies to intimidate, threaten and mislead the people of Taiwan,” he added.

Ma said "compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait must be highly vigilant and not easily misled.”

“Under the current complicated economic situation, the mainland’s economic development landscape is still good, and this is not something the likes of Joseph Wu can talk down,” he said. 

Taiwan faces presidential elections in January. China considers the island as a wayward province under the globally-recognized “One China” policy.

The policy refers to the diplomatic acknowledgement that there is only one state called China, despite the existence of two governments; one in China and another on the island of Taiwan.

In January, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a speech that Beijing reserves the right to use force to bring Taiwan under its control but will strive for peaceful "reunification."

Ties with Beijing have soured since Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen came to power in 2016. Her party refuses to recognize the idea that Taiwan is part of "One China".

China has pursued reunification with Taiwan ever since the island broke away from the mainland during a civil war in 1949. It claims full sovereignty over the island and almost all world countries, including the US, recognize that sovereignty.

SS