China accuses Taiwan’s government of using economic and trade issues to seek independence

BEIJING (AP) — China’s government has accused Taiwan’s ruling party of seeking independence, a day after the self-governing island’s president lobbied for Australia’s support in joining a regional trade pact. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office also said that recent Chinese military drills around Taiwan were held to combat what it called “the arrogance of Taiwan independence separatist forces.” China claims the island of Taiwan as its territory. The two split during the civil war that brought the Communists to power in China in 1949, with the losing Nationalists setting up their own government in Taiwan.