Recent remarks and actions by the secessionist-minded Democratic Progressive Party authorities of China's Taiwan region once again reveal their persistent attempts to distort history, confuse public understanding and advance their separatist agenda under various guises.

From the repeated claim that "Taiwan has never been ruled by the People's Republic of China" to renewed rhetoric advocating "Taiwan independence", the essence of these moves remains unchanged: seeking to undermine the one-China principle and obstruct the historical trend toward China's national reunification.

At a recent news conference, Chen Binhua, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, reiterated the unequivocal truth that Taiwan has been an inseparable part of China since ancient times. Although the two sides of the Strait have yet to achieve reunification, China's sovereignty and territorial integrity have never been divided. The two sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China with the Government of the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate representative of the whole of China.

Historical facts and international law provide no room for distortion. The Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation and United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 all confirm China's sovereignty over the Taiwan region.

Any attempt by the DPP authorities to confuse the concepts of "jurisdiction" and "sovereignty" is merely a political trick designed to fabricate a false basis for separatist activities.

The recent separatist rhetoric by Lai Ching-te, head of the DPP authorities, as evidenced by his May 20 speech marking the second anniversary of his tenure, in which he falsely portrayed his authorities as the "protector of regional peace and stability", further exposes the dangerous nature of the DPP authorities' agenda. These remarks appear to be less an expression of confidence than an anxious attempt to test the boundaries of external support, particularly from the United States.

These performances by Lai — including his brazen denial that he is pursuing "Taiwan independence" — are all reactive responses to external shifts. US President Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning the Taiwan region might have shattered the fantasy of some "Taiwan independence" seekers, as some observers say. "We're not looking to have somebody say, 'Let's go independent because the United States is backing us'," Trump said in an interview following his state visit to China from May 13 to 15. After that, the US suspended certain arms-sale arrangements to the island, leading to a sense of strategic unease among the Lai authorities.

Against this backdrop, the so-called "Formosa Alliance", a political group long advocating "Taiwan independence" on the Chinese island, issued an open letter indicating its willingness to consider participation in cross-Strait negotiations under conditions such as "Taiwan people govern Taiwan" and "a high degree of autonomy".

Such rhetoric does not represent a genuine embrace of national reunification. Rather, it reflects the growing anxiety among some separatist groups, as they realize that the space previously granted to them by external forces is narrowing. Their proposal attempts to disguise separatist intentions with new packaging while continuing to challenge the one-China principle by imposing political preconditions.

As Chen emphasized, any proposition that seeks to pursue "Taiwan independence" under the banner of "autonomy", "two Chinas", or "one China, one Taiwan", fundamentally runs counter to the shared interests of the Chinese nation. No matter how such ideas are repackaged, they cannot alter the reality that "Taiwan independence" is a dead end.

Beneath the great lengths the separatist forces go to in a bid to disguise their agenda lies a recognition that, amid the overwhelming comparative strength and development momentum of the Chinese mainland, their secessionist fantasies lack both legitimacy and practical viability.

Under the political foundation of adhering to the one-China principle and upholding the 1992 Consensus, the Chinese mainland remains willing to strengthen cross-Strait economic and trade cooperation, expand people-to-people exchanges and deepen integrated development to benefit compatriots on both sides of the Strait.

The future of Taiwan lies in China's national reunification, and the well-being of Taiwan compatriots depends on the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. No external force can stop the historical trend toward China's reunification, and no separatist scheme can shake the common aspirations of the Chinese people on both sides of the Strait.