BEIJING: China will take strong measures if U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visits the Taiwan region, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters in Beijing on Thursday, reiterating that China firmly opposes all forms of official interaction between the U.S. and Taiwan.
Noting that the U.S. Congress is a part of the U.S. government, the spokesperson said it should strictly abide by the one-China principle pursued by the U.S.
“If Pelosi visits Taiwan, the move will seriously violate the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, seriously undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, seriously impact the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, and send serious wrong signals to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces,” said Zhao, adding that the Chinese side has made serious representations to the U.S.
Zhao also urged the U.S. to immediately cancel Pelosi’s planned visit, stop the official exchanges between the U.S. and Taiwan and take practical action to fulfill the U.S. commitment of not supporting “Taiwan independence.” Stressing that China will take resolute and forceful measures to firmly defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, Zhao warned that the U.S. will have to bear the consequences of any visit.
Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, on Thursday responded that the Chinese side will never tolerate “Taiwan independence” separatist acts and wrong words or actions of the U.S. side that undermine China’s core interests. He said the increasing collusion between Taiwan and the United States has escalated the tension across the Taiwan Straits.
Ma also urged Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority to immediately stop any attempt to collude with external forces to seek “independence,” adding that the DPP will eventually be held accountable for its actions.
If Pelosi visits Taiwan, China will resolutely fight back and firmly defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said.
Last month, China had urged the United States to abide by the one-China principle and the stipulations in the three China-U.S. joint communiques, and immediately stop any form of official exchange with China’s Taiwan region.
When asked to comment on a visit by former senior U.S. defense and security officials to Taiwan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin stressed at a regular press conference that “the will of the Chinese people to defend our country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is firm.” Whoever the U.S. sends to show support for Taiwan is doomed to fail, Wang added.
The spokesperson urges the U.S. side to handle the Taiwan question prudently to avoid subversive damage to China-U.S. relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits.
Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, on Tuesday also warned the U.S. side that any so-called supporting Taiwan attempts will not change the fact that Taiwan is a part of China, nor will it stop China’s reunification process and national rejuvenation.
Zhu also slammed Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority in Taiwan for colluding with external forces and acting as a pawn in the foreign forces’ anti-China scheme. She added by doing so the DPP will only accelerate their demise.
China had also urged the United States to honor the one-China principle, stop arms sales to the Taiwan region and sever military links with the island.
In response to reports that the Taiwan region has recently signed an arms procurement contract with the U.S. side, Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said China always “resolutely” rejects such moves.
The U.S.’ arms sales to China’s Taiwan region are a “serious” violation of the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, especially the August 17 Communique, Zhao told a regular press briefing in Beijing.
The U.S. move is also a “serious interference” in China’s internal affairs and “seriously” undermines China-U.S. relations and the peace and stability of the Taiwan Straits, he said, urging the U.S. to “strictly” abide by the one-China principle. –The Daily-Mail, CGTN news exchange item
