BEIJING - The Chinese mainland highly commends Kiribati's decision to sever its so-called "diplomatic ties" with the Taiwan authorities, a mainland spokesperson said Friday.

Following the tide of history, the government and the people of Kiribati have made the correct decision to join the 178 countries that have established official diplomatic relations with China, said Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson with the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, responding to questions regarding the issue.

The groundless accusations made by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority toward the government of Kiribati contradict what it said to the country in the past and show great disrespect to Kiribati and its people, Ma said.

He reiterated that there is but one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, a fact that has never changed and will remain the case.

It is the habitual practice of the DPP authority to make up lies to deflect attention and deceive the people of Taiwan, but people across the Strait have seen through its attempts, the spokesperson said.

The DPP authority would never succeed in its attempt to disrupt the trend of the one-China principle recognized by the international community through slander and smears, he said.