The representative of the "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States" has recently peddled via some US media outlets the "democracy versus authoritarianism" narrative, and said that Taiwan will continue to strengthen its security and economic ties with the United States.

As the spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in the US pointed out in a statement on that, what the TECRO representative propagates is misleading and has distorted the truth. The Taiwan question has nothing to do with "democracy", which is a pretext for the US interfering in other countries' internal affairs, but bears on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The "democracy versus authoritarianism" rhetoric is nothing but a Cold War cliche Washington has been hyping up again.

By using that rhetoric, the "Taiwan independence" forces are trying to solicit support for their cause from the international community by stoking confrontation and antagonism across the Taiwan Strait to make Beijing appear aggressive and coercive.

But the bifurcated framework they are trying to impress on the world only exposes their readiness to pursue their separatist agenda at the cost of the people of Taiwan, and in the face of the strong opposition of the vast majority of their compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait against their secessionist attempts.

It must be pointed that while the TECRO representative said the Democratic Progressive Party authorities on Taiwan seek to maintain the "status quo", the fundamental "status quo" of the Taiwan Strait is that both sides of it belong to one China, there is but one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China.

This is not only a consensus of the majority of the international community but also strictly stipulated by relevant resolutions of the United Nations and such key postwar binding international documents as the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, as well as the Sino-US joint communiques that are the political foundation for Sino-US relations.

Taiwan's return to its motherland is a component of the post-World War II international order, and the results of the elections on the island cannot change the dynamics and direction of cross-Strait relations which are toward reunification.

As the fuss the TECRO representative has tried to make indicates, the collusion between the "Taiwan independence" forces and external forces is the root causes of cross-Strait tensions in recent years and the fundamental threat to peace and stability across the Strait. The DPP authorities and their patrons should not underestimate the determination, resolve and capability of the Chinese people to safeguard the nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity.