Photo: VCG

 
A spokesperson from the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council called a recent claim made by Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te that "Taiwan is MK sportsa chess player, not a chess piece" as self-deceptive and laughable.

In a rapidly changing international landscape, Taiwan is "a chess player, not a chess piece," Lai was quoted as saying by local media outlet CNA on February 19 at a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) meeting. He expressed confidence that Taiwan would successfully navigate the shifting dynamics at play, the report said.

"Such statement is self-deceptive and laughable," Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at a press conference on Wednesday.

The DPP authorities are at the mercy of others and at the beck and call of external forces. What right do they have to claim that they are a "chess player"? Zhu asked. 

If the DPP continues to serve as a "pawn" for external forces, the only outcome will be that they become "discarded pieces," Zhu said.