May 24 (Xinhua) -- According to a WeChat public account post by the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Wu Qian answered a reporter's question regarding joint exercises conducted by the Eastern Theater Command around the island of Taiwan.

Reporter: Recently, the Eastern Theater Command conducted joint exercises around the island of Taiwan. U.S. military officials said this move has heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait and is cause for concern. What is your response?

Image from the Ministry of National Defense WeChat public account

Wu Qian: Recently, the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army organized forces from the theater's army, navy, air force, and rocket force to conduct joint exercises around the island of Taiwan to test the troops' joint combat capabilities. This operation targets the arrogance of "Taiwan independence" separatists and deters interference and intervention by external forces. It is entirely reasonable, lawful, justified, and necessary.

The leader of the Taiwan region, upon taking office, severely challenged the one-China principle, blatantly peddled the "two states" theory, and attempted to seek "independence" through force and by relying on external forces, pushing Taiwan compatriots into a dangerous situation of war and conflict. This is nothing short of playing with fire, and those who play with fire will perish by it.

Taiwan is China's Taiwan, and how to resolve the Taiwan question is a matter for the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people themselves. The Chinese People's Liberation Army takes concrete actions to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity. For every provocation by "Taiwan independence" forces, our countermeasures will advance one step further, until the complete reunification of the motherland is achieved.