Beijing: China today again lashed out at the United States over the latter’s repeated statements on Taiwan and stated that the US statements on the Taiwan question have “lost shape, turned sour and retrogressed running counter to the consensus reached between the US and China upon the establishment of diplomatic relations”.
China has of late been aggressively staking its claims over Taiwan and almost everyday its war planes are violating the Taiwanese air space. At the same time, Taiwan has been trying to muster up international support to its existence.
Also read: China displays its combat readiness to US lawmakers in Taiwan
Following are the details of China’s reply on a series of questions asked by reporters during a press conference addressed by Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on the issue of the latest developments concerning Taiwan, in Beijing today:
Q. Last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a interview that the US has commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act to make sure that Taiwan has the ability to defend itself. We noticed that in a tweet on November 14, Blinken emphasized US interest in peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Do you have any comment?
Zhao Lijian: We are firmly opposed to the wrong words and actions of the US side. I would like to emphasize a few points:
First, over the past 40 years or so, the US statements on the Taiwan question have lost shape, turned sour and retrogressed, running counter to the consensus reached between the US and China upon the establishment of diplomatic relations. What the US should abide by is the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, which are important political consensus between China and the US and the political foundation for the bilateral ties. Both the so-called “Taiwan Relations Act” and the “Six Assurances”, concocted by some forces in the US, contravene the three China-US joint communiques. In essence, they place US domestic law above international obligations and are illegal and invalid.
Second, for some time now, the DPP authorities in Taiwan and the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces have been pursuing “de-sinicization”, trying to create “one China, one Taiwan” or “two Chinas”, and engaging in provocative activities to seek independence in collusion with external forces. This is the biggest threat to peace and stability and the root cause of the current tension across the Taiwan Strait.
I want to stress that China’s reunification is an unstoppable historical trend and upholding the one-China principle is a universal consensus of the international community. All acts supporting and emboldening “Taiwan independence” constitute interference in China’s internal affairs and are in no way conducive to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The US should commit itself to the one-China principle and the stipulations in the three China-US joint communiques, and prudently and properly handle the Taiwan-related issues, lest it should undermine China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Q. The US and Taiwan will hold political military discussions and an annual defense review later this week. This is according to the United Daily News reports. The talks will be participated by Jessica Lewis, the Assistant Secretary of State and another official, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Indo-Pacific. So my question pertains to these meetings later in the week between the US and Taiwan. Does the foreign ministry have a comment on those?
Zhao Lijian: The Taiwan question bears on China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and concerns China’s core interests. It is the most important and sensitive issue in China-US relations. The US side should earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-US joint communiques, prudently and properly handle Taiwan-related issues, and immediately stop official exchanges and military contacts with Taiwan in any form. We also need to warn the Taiwan authorities that Taiwan independence is a dead end. Any attempt and act to solicit foreign support and resist reunification with force is doomed to fail.
Q. According to reports, on November 13, visiting Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez met with (Taiwan’s President) Tsai Ing-wen. “At this very moment amid tensions in the region, Honduras is here to demonstrate that we are real friends”, he said. Tsai called Hernandez’s visit significant and said she hoped the two countries would continue to help each other on the international stage. Do you have any comment?
Zhao Lijian: The one-China principle is a universally-recognized norm governing international relations and a shared consensus of the international community. Adherence to the one-China principle is an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. The DPP [the ruling Democratic Progressive Party] authorities in Taiwan are apt to create the false illusion of international support to bolster its “Taiwan independence” separatist acts, which is nothing but a trick to deceive themselves and others. It cannot alter the iron-clad fact that Taiwan is part of China and can by no means thwart the invincible trend of China’s reunification.
– global bihari bureau
