China says Taiwan president's speech 'reveals ulterior motives'

​China's Taiwan ​Affairs Office on ‌Saturday condemned ​a speech by Taiwan ‌President Lai Ching-te, saying it "disregards facts, distorts the truth, misleads the public, ‌and reveals ulterior motives." In his ‌speech, Lai "stubbornly clung to 'Taiwan independence' separatist thinking" and exaggerated the "threat from the ⁠mainland," ​the ⁠office said.

"There is only one China ⁠in the world, and Taiwan ​is part of China — this ⁠is the true status quo in ⁠the ​Taiwan Strait," it said. Taiwan's future "can and must be ⁠decided jointly by all the Chinese people, ⁠including ⁠our compatriots in Taiwan," it also said.