Beijing Warns Supporters of Taiwan's Independence They Will Be 'Severely Punished'

BEIJING(Sputnik) - Beijing has called on supporters of Taiwan's independence to "come to their senses" and realize that if they violate the law they will be "severely punished," a spokesperson for the office of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party for Taiwan Affairs said on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Beijing imposed sanctions on seven Taiwanese officials over their support for the self-ruled island's independence by banning them from entering mainland China.

"Taiwan's independence contradicts the course of history, it is a deadlock. The announced list of those supporting Taiwan's independence is not the whole list. We warn that supporters of Taiwan's independence should come to their senses before it is too late, and if they dare to challenge the law, they will be severely punished," the spokesperson was quoted as saying by China Central Television (CCTV).

The spokesperson also expressed hope that the Taiwanese people "would unite with their compatriots on the mainland to promote the peaceful development of relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait."

China announced sanctions in response to the visit of two US senior delegations to Taiwan. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led a delegation to Taipei from August 2-3 and Senator Ed Markey from August 14-15.

Taiwan became alienated from Beijing after becoming a stronghold of the Chinese Nationalist Party (the Kuomintang) that suffered defeat to the Communist Party in a civil war in 1949. The Chinese mainland and the island resumed business and informal contacts in the late 1980s. Beijing opposes any official contacts of foreign countries with Taiwan and considers Chinese sovereignty over the island indisputable.