BEIJING, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Those who persistently engage in secessionist activities seeking "Taiwan independence" will be subject to necessary punitive measures and lifelong legal accountability, regardless of their location, a mainland spokesperson said Wednesday.

The mainland police's investigation into Shen Pao-yang, a secessionist in Taiwan, is lawful and justified as an action to oppose secession and safeguard national unity, said Zhang Han, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, at a press conference.

Responding to Taiwan's remarks about the case's jurisdiction, Zhang reiterated that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and "Taiwan independence" constitutes a criminal act of secession and betrayal of the nation.

She clarified that such judicial measures target only a few individuals involved in serious secessionist activities and do not affect the vast majority of people in Taiwan.

She said that by deliberately conflating ordinary people with secessionists, Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities aim to intimidate the public, revealing their "fear and sense of insecurity."

Commenting on the DPP authorities' claim that they would enhance protection for secessionists and relevant enterprises and investigate those assisting the mainland, Zhang condemned the DPP for abusing public power to suppress patriots in Taiwan and intimidate the public.

She urged people in Taiwan to be fully aware of the DPP's malicious intentions and oppose its authoritarian policies, and also assured that personal information and legal rights of those providing information on secessionists would be protected. ■