Ma Xiaoguang, the spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks in response to comments by the island's executive head Lai Ching-te, who said that Taiwan is "an independent sovereign country."

"People who split China will suffer by their own hand," said Ma.

The mainland and Taiwan belong to one China, and their relationship is not state-to-state, said Ma.

As an inseparable part of China's territory, Taiwan has never been a country, and will not become a country, he said.

At the press conference, a question was raised about Taiwan's current leader, Tsai Ing-wen, who proposed creating a new policy statement for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

The mainland has maintained consistent and clear policies toward Taiwan, said Ma, adding that only by giving up its "Taiwan independence" stance can the DPP find a solution in cross-Strait relations.