Beijing, China - February 26, 2025 The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities' claim to raise military spending will only turn the island into a "powder keg" instead of protecting it, Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday.' Zhu made the statement in response to a query about the DPP authorities' claim to increase the island's military spending to 3 percent of its GDP this year. Shotlist: Beijing, China - Feb 26, 2025: 1. Press conference in progress; 2. Reporters; 3. Press conference in progress; 4. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman, State Council Taiwan Affairs Office (starting with shot 3, partially overlaid with shot 5): "The DPP authorities have stubbornly clung to the separatist position, sought secession by force and relying on foreign support, and they have been obedient to external forces and not hesitant to squander the hard-earned money of the people in Taiwan to pay the so-called 'protection fee.' It must be pointed out that fawning on external forces, selling Taiwan away, and asking for prescriptions from the devil will only tie the vast majority of Taiwan compatriots to the war chariot and plunge Taiwan into the abyss. Taiwan secession is as incompatible with cross-Strait peace as fire with water. Taiwan is China's Taiwan. The more than 1.4 billion Chinese people and the heroic People's Liberation Army will never allow any individual or any force to secede Taiwan from China. Three percent or 10 percent, this will be unable to protect Taiwan, but instead turn Taiwan into a 'powder keg.'"; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 5. Various of reporters; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 6. Reporters. [Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]