China warns after Lai inauguration that Taiwan independence is 'dead end'
China warned on Monday that efforts toward Taiwan's independence are a "dead end" after the island's new President Lai Ching-te took office. Beijing, which considers Taiwan part of its territory and has threatened force to control it, labelled Lai a "dangerous separatist." Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin reiterated that Taiwan independence efforts are doomed to fail. Concurrently, Beijing imposed sanctions on three US defence companies over arms sales to Taipei and censored discussions of the inauguration on Chinese social media.