(South China Morning Post, By Kristin Huang) Beijing’s top policymaking body on Taiwan says the situation facing cross-strait relations will be “grave” this year as risks created by the island’s pro-independence movement heighten, but Beijing will be firm in fighting against separatism. The warning came after Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen vowed to boost the island’s defence budget and Taiwanese prosecutors searched the homes of four pro-unification party officials in December. They were said to be witnesses in a national security investigation.