A spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense issued a stern warning on Tuesday that any attempt by "Taiwan independence" forces to provoke a war would result in a "crushing disaster".

Jiang Bin, the ministry's spokesperson, made these remarks in response to recent media reports suggesting that Taiwan's military plans to advance its HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) units to Penghu and Dongyin. This move would reportedly extend their strike range to cover the People's Liberation Army's positions in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces on the mainland.

Additionally, a Taiwan scholar reportedly claimed that the island's military authority had previously considered the notion of a "preemptive strike" against the PLA.

Jiang criticized these actions, stating that from forward-deploying weapons to contemplating a so-called "preemptive strike", the ideas of "Taiwan independence" forces have become "increasingly absurd and overconfident".

He emphasized that in the face of the PLA's formidable capabilities, any provocation by "Taiwan independence" armed forces would lead to a devastating outcome.