Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen and Chinese spokesman Zhao Lijian 

China considers Taiwan as a renegade province and has warned it would seize Taiwan by force if necessary even as the country ramps up its military

Amid tensions with Taiwan, China's foreign ministry said today that despite Taiwan increasing its military budget next year its "fight against the mainland is like a worm shaking a tree."

"Taiwan's independence is a dead-end for sure," China's foreign ministry spokesman said, adding, "Taiwan is spending taxpayers money on national defence, no matter how much money it spends, Taiwan is a very small place and its "fight against the mainland is like a worm shaking a tree."

Taiwan has around 215,000 soldiers and a defence budget of $12 billion compared with China's estimated two million armed forces backed by a budget of $178 billion, according to AFP data. China also possesses sophisticated Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) along with two aircraft carriers including nuclear-powered submarines.

China considers Taiwan as a renegade province and has warned it would seize Taiwan by force if necessary even as the country ramps up its military. 

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has rejected "one China" policy even as President Xi had said last year that Taiwan's reunification with the mainland was "inevitable".

Amid tensions in the Taiwan Straits which has become a major flashpoint in recent months, the Trump administration has boosted Taiwan's arsenal by selling 66 next-generation F-16 fighters including upgrading the country's Patriot missiles.

The United States is bound by Congress to provide Taiwan with arms to defend itself. Taiwan which had split in 1949 after when Chiang Kai-shek's nationalists had fled the island has been the source of recurrent tension between the two countries.