‘Taiwan secessionists will be punished’ despite US help — The Global Times - TASS

Taiwan’s leader Tsai Ing-wen and all "Taiwan secessionists" will be punished despite help from the US, Beijing’s The Global Times newspaper wrote on Friday, reflecting the opinion of China’s military and political circles.

"In a recent interview with CNN published on Thursday, Taiwan's regional leader Tsai Ing-wen confirmed for the first time that US troops are present on the island for ‘training purposes.’ Experts said that this provocative announcement is for Taiwan secessionists to show off that they have got ‘protection’ from the US, but in fact, there is no chance for them to escape punishment," the newspaper cautions.

"When the determination of 1.4 billion Chinese people and the strength of the Chinese mainland are taken into consideration, there is no chance for the ‘US military presence on the island’ to change the resolution of the Taiwan question — the doomsday for Taiwan secessionists and the reunification of China," the newspaper said citing "mainland analysts."

Taiwan has been governed by its local administration since 1949 when the Kuomintang’s remaining forces headed by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) were defeated in the Chinese Civil War and took refuge on the island. Taiwan has preserved the flag and several other symbols of the Republic of China that had existed before communists took over the mainland. Beijing regards the island as one of its provinces.