China’s defense spokesman calls Lai a “disaster for peace” after his National Day speech and defends PLA drills around Taiwan as deterrence

China’s Defense Ministry spokesman Chen Xi on Sunday accused Taiwan President Lai Ching-te of inflaming cross-strait tensions in his National Day address and said regular Chinese military drills around the island were intended to deter moves toward Taiwan independence and outside interference.

Lai delivered his address on October 10, Taiwan’s National Day, and called for stronger defense investment and whole-of-society resilience, according to the speech’s official summary. Chen said there was “only one China” and that Taiwan was part of it, describing this as the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. These are Beijing’s positions; Taiwan is governed separately.