BEIJING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland resolutely opposes any military ties between the United States and Taiwan, a spokesperson said on Wednesday, noting that the Taiwan question is China's internal affair and allows no external interference.

"We urge the United States to stick to the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, handle the Taiwan question with the utmost caution, and stop instigating separatists to pursue secession by force," said Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

She also warned Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities that seeking independence with the support of the United States is an erroneous path and resorting to military means will lead to a dead end.

In response to a media inquiry about a U.S. military commander's claim that the United States should deploy autonomous systems to the Taiwan Strait, Zhu said this once again proves that the DPP authorities' collusion with external forces in pursuit of secession and provocation will only raise the risk of conflict and war and plunge the people in Taiwan into the abyss of disaster.

Zhu urged the United States to stop meddling in the Taiwan question, cease fueling tensions and stirring up trouble in the Strait, and avoid sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces.

Zhu also responded to a media query about recent remarks by a soon-to-be undersecretary of the Pentagon that Taiwan's "defense budget" should approach 10 percent of its GDP, saying such remarks are aimed at selling more weapons to Taiwan to benefit the U.S. military-industrial complex.

She warned the DPP authorities that paying "protection fees" to the United States will not bring security -- instead, it will hasten Taiwan's slide into a dangerous situation.

Regarding a recent statement by the G7 foreign ministers and the High Representative of the European Union concerning recent Chinese military exercises around Taiwan, Zhu reiterated that these drills were conducted to deter, punish and warn against separatist attempts and external interference.

She emphasized that such actions are necessary and justified to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

If relevant countries genuinely desire peace across the Strait, they should earnestly abide by the one-China principle and stand out against "Taiwan independence," she said.