ISTANBUL

China on Thursday slammed Taiwanese leader Lai Ching Te over his remarks on Wednesday’s military parade in Beijing that commemorated the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Lai had criticized China over its Victory Day parade on Wednesday that commemorated its victory, saying: “Taiwan does not commemorate peace with guns.”

“We believe the military hardware in our hands is for the defense of our country and home, not to be used for invasion or expansion,” Lai wrote on US social media company Facebook.

In response, Chen Binhua, spokesman for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said that Lai’s comments "fully exposed the ugly face and evil nature of the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces, who betray history and the nation, desecrate the martyrs, and obliterate conscience."

According to state-run Xinhua News, Chen noted that Lai’s remarks “reflected a complete loss of national stance, openly challenged justice and conscience, and deeply hurt the feelings of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.”

Stressing that Taiwan is part of China, Chen said that during the war, people across China, including those in Taiwan, “rose in resistance and ultimately won the nation's first complete victory against foreign aggression in modern times.”

China considers Taiwan a breakaway province. Taiwan rejects that claim and has insisted on its independence since 1949.