BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese defense spokesperson on Saturday slammed "Taiwan independence" secessionists as the chief culprit undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, vowing that the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) will never tolerate or show any leniency toward it.

Jiang Bin, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks at a regular press briefing in response to a media inquiry on reports that the PLA had recently organized joint combat readiness patrols involving air and naval forces around Taiwan, with a flotilla of major warships entering waters southwest of the Penghu Islands. Some analysts suggested that the increase in PLA aircraft and vessels crossing the so-called "median line" of the Strait could be linked to recent visits by senior Taiwan officials to other regions.

Jiang said that Taiwan is part of China and that there is no so-called "median line" in the Strait. "It is completely legitimate and reasonable for the PLA to carry out military operations in relevant areas," he said.

Jiang reiterated that the PLA will continue to take concrete measures to resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to firmly safeguard peace and stability in the Strait. ■