BEIJING -- The Chinese mainland will never tolerate any individuals profiting from the mainland while supporting "Taiwan independence," a spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, was responding to recent remarks from Taiwan's die-hard separatist Shen Pao-yang about punitive measures taken by the mainland against companies linked to him.

Noting the mainland's firm stance on the matter, Zhu said there can be no tolerance or leniency for die-hard secessionists or companies associated with them. "Punishment is imperative," she said.

Secessionist acts, she warned, ultimately backfire, harming not only others but also those who commit these acts. "There is no escaping the law."

Media reports have said that aside from Shen, other politicians from the Democratic Progressive Party have also profited from the mainland through their family members. They have been widely criticized for their duplicity.

"The public is clear-eyed," the spokesperson said. "People can tell right from wrong."