Beijing Rebukes Taiwan's DPP Authorities Over South China Sea Rhetoric

On July 22, 2026, Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhang Han criticized Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities for their stance on maritime friction at Ren'ai Jiao (Second Thomas Shoal). After Taiwan's foreign affairs department condemned mainland China's alleged use of force and gray-zone tactics in the South China Sea, Beijing accused Taipei of abandoning a unified national stance and siding with external forces. The exchange highlights Beijing's acute sensitivity to cross-strait alignment regarding core territorial sovereignty.

Beijing's characterization of the DPP authorities' statements explicitly frames cross-strait disagreements over maritime disputes as a loss of national stance and an effort to seek independence with foreign backing. This reflects mainland China's insistence that South China Sea territorial sovereignty is a fundamental national interest where any cooperation or rhetorical alignment between Taipei and foreign actors against Beijing will be firmly opposed.

Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) issued a stern condemnation of Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities on July 22, accusing Taipei of abandoning a shared national stance and siding with foreign actors during recent maritime friction in the South China Sea [6a602f80b7627b1f924ab47c]. During a routine press conference held on July 22, TAO spokesperson Zhang Han was asked to address recent statements released by Taiwan's foreign affairs department [6a602f80b7627b1f924ab47c]. The reporter noted that following a confrontation at Ren'ai Jiao—also known internationally as Second Thomas Shoal—where Chinese law enforcement personnel were involved in a disputed encounter with Philippine forces, Taiwan's foreign ministry echoed foreign criticisms [6a602f80b7627b1f924ab47c]. Specifically, Taiwan's foreign affairs department stated that it condemned mainland China for using force that caused injuries and voiced firm opposition to any unilateral attempts to alter the status quo through military force, coercion, or gray-zone harassment tactics [6a602f80b7627b1f924ab47c]. Responding to these remarks, TAO spokesperson Zhang Han reaffirmed Beijing's stance on territorial sovereignty, emphasizing that Ren'ai Jiao is an intrinsic part of China's Nansha Islands and constitutes Chinese territory [6a602f80b7627b1f924ab47c]. Zhang criticized the DPP authorities for abandoning their national stance by repeating external rhetoric, confusing right and wrong, and launching attacks against mainland China [6a602f80b7627b1f924ab47c]. The spokesperson stated that Taipei's official comments exposed what Beijing characterized as a betrayal of national heritage and a continued effort to seek Taiwan independence by relying on external political backing [6a602f80b7627b1f924ab47c]. The public exchange highlights Beijing's acute sensitivity regarding cross-strait rhetoric on South China Sea disputes [6a602f80b7627b1f924ab47c]. From Beijing's perspective, territorial rights over the Nansha Islands represent a non-negotiable sovereign matter [6a602f80b7627b1f924ab47c]. Consequently, any attempt by Taipei to echo third-party criticisms against mainland enforcement operations is viewed by the TAO as political alignment with foreign forces to exert pressure on Beijing [6a602f80b7627b1f924ab47c].