BEIJING -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army has always been capable of and determined in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as defeating separatist forces seeking "Taiwan independence" in any form, said a military spokesperson on Thursday.

Wu Qian, the spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks at a press conference in response to a query about the PLA's military deployment.

He said the pro-independence separatists must be warned that confrontation is a dead-end road and that counting on military force to seek "Taiwan independence" is doomed to failure.