BEIJING, April 2 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese government spokesperson on Wednesday said the latest military drills launched by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) around Taiwan and in the middle and southern areas of the Taiwan Strait were a just move to punish and deter attempts to split the country.

Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said these drills were conducted to safeguard peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait and the well-being of Taiwan compatriots.

In response to a statement by the U.S. White House regarding the drills, Zhu said that the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affairs that brook no foreign interference.

The United States should abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, stressed Zhu.

"We have full confidence and sufficient capability to deter 'Taiwan independence' separatist activities and jointly achieve national reunification," the spokesperson added.