Lai stands on shaky ground with risky gambling

The secessionist-minded Lai Ching-te authorities of Taiwan should be well aware of why their appeal for foreign support, following what they claimed to be "destabilizing" military drills the People's Liberation Army launched near the island on Monday, has met with a cold shoulder from the world, as the international community clearly sees that they are the party that is intentionally undermining cross-Strait stability.

The PLA's exercises represent a resolute response to foreign connivance and support for the island's secessionists. They send a clear message that Beijing has the resolve and capability to safeguard the nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

It is the extremely provocative "pro-independence" speech Lai gave in Taipei last week that has prompted the Chinese mainland to organize the military drills.

In his speech, the die-hard secessionist Taiwan leader for the first time openly claimed the island to be "an independent sovereign democratic country", labeled the mainland a "foreign hostile force" and unveiled measures to counter Beijing's "infiltration".

It is worth noting that the United States removed the expression that reflected the one-China principle and its declaration that it does not support "Taiwan independence" from the website of the US State Department last month. Although the US side has tried to downplay this as "a routine update" operation, it has clearly sent a wrong signal to the Lai authorities. No wonder Hsu Szu-chien, deputy head of the island's so-called "security council" said on Monday after the PLA drills that the Lai-led Democratic Progressive Party authorities on the island expect the new US administration to support them in case of hostilities with Beijing, laying bare the collusion between the two sides.

Yet Lai's speech suggests that he adheres to the adage that it is a squeaky wheel that gets oiled. His reckless remarks only serve to expose his deep anxiety that the US administration might do an about-face in its policy toward the island. Having sacrificed the island's semiconductor companies and investment, Lai has no more cards left to play at a time when the US administration demands a pound of flesh.

It is the DPP authorities' collusion with external forces in their insidious push for "Taiwan independence" that is the real threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the greatest fueler of cross-Strait tensions.

That's why Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning urged the US to realize that "mishandling of the Taiwan question will shake the very foundation of China-US relations" and seeking to contain China by playing the "Taiwan card" will only lead to self-harm.

As she said, "Taiwan independence" is as incompatible with the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait as fire is with water.

The US should fulfill the commitments made by past US administrations on the Taiwan question, stop the provocative actions that seek to push the envelope on Beijing's red lines, and handle Taiwan-related questions with greater caution to avoid causing further serious damage to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and to China-US relations.

Beijing has exercised remarkable restraint in the face of the provocations underscoring the significance it attaches to regional stability. But the provocations of Lai and his ilk have certainly been added to their accounts, and they will be charged repayment of both the principal and interest in due course.

No matter how much military spending the DPP authorities allocate and what support they can obtain from external forces, they cannot stop the historical trend of the island's inevitable reunification with the motherland.