BEIJING -- A Chinese mainland spokeswoman on Wednesday severely criticized Taiwan authorities' bid to decouple from the mainland in its industrial and supply chain development.

Zhang Han, a spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks at a press conference in response to a media query about recent statements by Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te, who promoted supply chain cooperation among "like-minded" partners to reduce the island's reliance on the mainland and secure its "competitive advantage" in the future.

Zhang criticized the so-called "supply chain cooperation" as merely a scheme attempting to rely on foreign support to seek "Taiwan independence" by effectively handing over Taiwan's industries to others.

Zhang also refuted recent accusations from relevant Taiwan authorities that smeared the mainland's policies for integrated cross-Strait development.

She emphasized that the Democratic Progressive Party authorities, driven by their "Taiwan independence" agenda, are deliberately inciting confrontation between the two sides, while consistently slandering, discrediting, obstructing and sabotaging anything beneficial to the development of cross-Strait relations and the well-being of people on both sides.

Such actions, the spokeswoman said, are unpopular and bound to fail.