PEKIN, China (AFP) — China’s military said Sunday it would tighten its “noose” around Taiwan if separatism over the island escalated, warning proponents to step back from the “precipice” or face a “dead end,” state media reported.

Beijing considers the democratically ruled island of Taiwan to be part of its territory and has not ruled out using military force to claim it.

“The more rampant ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists become, the tighter the noose around their necks and the sharper the sword hanging over their heads will be,” army spokesperson Wu Qian said, Xinhua News Agency reported.

“The PLA is a force of action in countering separatism and promoting reunification,” said Wu, using an acronym for China’s military.

“You’ve ridden your steed to a precipice of a cliff, but behind you lies land — if you persist in taking the wrong course, you will meet a dead end,” he warned.

Wu’s comments come during China’s largest annual political gathering, known as the “Two Sessions.”

This year’s proceedings saw Beijing announce on Wednesday that its defense spending will rise by 7.2 percent in 2025 as its armed forces undergo rapid modernization.