BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The fact that Taiwan region's leader Lai Ching-te sneaked in and out of Eswatini shows exactly that "Taiwan independence" separatism is just shady business and unacceptable to the international community, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday, calling his act nothing but a scandalous stunt.
Lin made the remarks at a regular news briefing when asked to comment on Lai's sneaking into Eswatini on its plane. While in Eswatini, he spoke about "diplomatic independence." Yet the international community and people in Taiwan described his action as "thief-like" and an "international joke."
Even though there was widespread opposition, Lai sneaked onto a foreign plane and cheated himself into Eswatini by concealing passenger information with the country. On his return flight, after use of airspace was rejected by relevant countries, Lai again slipped onto the plane and forced his way through these countries' skies, Lin said.
The whole thing showed the world how little Lai respects relevant countries' airspace and sovereignty and cares for the opinion of the world, Lin said, describing what he did as extremely dangerous and outrageous.
Lin said some politicians in Eswatini who are on Taiwan's payroll have been wrongly providing space for "Taiwan independence," adding that China strongly condemns it.
"In recent years, we've heard people from various sectors in so-called Taiwan's 'diplomatic allies' strongly call on their countries to grow ties with China. Which is the right thing to do? To see where the arc of history bends and follow their people's will, or to continue serving as a political prop and keeping up the appearances for Lai and his kind?", Lin said, urging the politicians in these countries to come to the wise decision and stop going further down the doomed path.
He reiterated that there is but one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the one-China principle is an international consensus that has solid support and is simply unshakable.
"The pursuit of 'Taiwan independence' is a dead end and its days are numbered. Any new attempt Lai makes to advance his separatist agenda will only box himself further in. We urge those separatists to turn back from the wrong path and mend their ways sooner rather than later," he said. ■
