BEIJING, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te has cemented his reputation as a blatant destroyer of peace and reckless troublemaker through a recent string of inflammatory statements and actions, completely shattering his self-proclaimed image as a "peace advocate."
Since assuming office nearly a year ago, Lai has clung stubbornly to the "Taiwan independence" separatist agenda, continually provoking the mainland and escalating tensions.
His recent proposal of 17 strategies to counter so-called threats to the island, coupled with rhetoric portraying the mainland as a "hostile external force" and framing cross-Strait relations in terms of outright hostility, marks yet another provocative move in his dangerous campaign.
Moreover, the Lai authorities have ramped up the suppression of political opponents, alongside silencing parties, organizations and individuals who advocate the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.
All these actions shed a light on Lai's deep-seated opposition to peace, exchanges and democracy.
Lai's self-declared status as a "peace advocate" is nothing more than hypocrisy. His deliberate efforts to escalate tensions and incite confrontation expose the emptiness of his claims about safeguarding peace across the Taiwan Strait.
In reality, his actions are driving Taiwan toward a perilous precipice.
The Lai authorities have raised the island's defense budget to more than 3 percent of its GDP, squandering public funds on military procurements.
He has aggressively pushed for civil mobilization initiatives, conducting real-world drills to foster "whole-of-society defense resilience." He has prepared for conflict with the mainland through "immediate combat readiness" exercises based on a fabricated scenario of a mainland invasion by 2027.
Lai has even gone as far as threatening to reinstate the military tribunal system. These brazen provocations undermine peace and drag ordinary people in Taiwan toward the doomed cause of "Taiwan independence," leading the island toward a catastrophic abyss.
Lai is recklessly gambling with the safety and well-being of Taiwan's 23 million people, using their future as political leverage to pursue his delusional dream of "Taiwan independence."
The people of Taiwan do not want war, much less one fought over an impossible separatist agenda.
The reality is undeniable: The disparity in strength between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is overwhelming. Lai's ongoing provocations along the path of "Taiwan independence" are leading nowhere.
Recently, Lai has deliberately stoked up cross-Strait tensions, hoping that this political trick would earn him external support. This desperate attempt is nothing more than a testament to his lack of viable solutions. The more aggressively he provokes, the faster his political career will come to an end.
The mainland's stance has always been consistent and firm: It is committed to achieving peaceful reunification with the utmost sincerity and effort. However, if "Taiwan independence" forces continue to provoke, challenge bottom lines, or cross red lines, decisive measures will be taken.
Lai's pursuit of "Taiwan independence" is destined to fail. ■
