BEIJING, Oct. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- A spokesperson for China's central authorities said here Wednesday that Taiwan regional leader Chen Shui-bian's speech on Oct. 10 has constituted a grave provocation to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

    "In his speech, Chen Shui-bian preached that 'The Republic of China is Taiwan and Taiwan is the Republic of China', which was an open and audacious expression of 'Taiwan independence'," said Zhang Mingqing, spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, China's cabinet, at a press conference Wednesday morning.

    Although Chen claimed in his Oct. 10 speech that he had the intention to ease tension and confrontation across the Taiwan Strait, he had obstinately stuck to his separatist stand of "one country on each side" across the Strait, the spokesman said.

    Moreover, Chen had continued to deny the fact that Taiwan is a part of China and had wantonly stigmatized and viciously attacked the motherland to fuel the tension across the Strait.

    "He had exposed his lies by himself," the spokesman said. Enditem