BEIJING: Attempts to solicit U.S. support for “Taiwan independence” and use the Taiwan question to contain China are doomed to fail, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Friday.
Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a daily news briefing when asked to comment on the report that Lai Ching-te, leader of China’s Taiwan region, has finished his “stopover” in Hawaii and Guam of the United States.
The United States insisted on arranging Lai’s “stopover” in Hawaii and Guam, carrying out official exchanges, helping Taiwan expand the so-called “international space,” and providing a platform for “Taiwan independence” separatist activities, Lin said.
The U.S. move seriously violates the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiqués, undermines China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and sends a gravely wrong signal to the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces. China strongly deplores this and has made serious démarches to the U.S. side, he said.
“The one-China principle is the political foundation of China-U.S. relations and a basic norm in international relations. The Taiwan question is the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-U.S. relations. Cross-Straits peace and stability and ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist activities are irreconcilable as water and fire,” Lin said.
China urges the U.S. side to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiqués, act on U.S. leaders’ commitments of not supporting “Taiwan independence,” stop having official interaction with the Taiwan region, stop fudging and hollowing out the one-China principle, stop condoning and supporting “Taiwan independence” separatist forces and their activities in any form, and take concrete actions to stabilize China-U.S. relations and safeguard peace across the Taiwan Straits, Lin noted.
The spokesperson stressed that soliciting U.S. support for “Taiwan independence” and using the Taiwan question to contain China are both doomed to end in failure. No one should underestimate the strong resolve, firm will and strong ability of the Chinese government and people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Meanwhile, a Chinese mainland spokesperson on Monday warned that attempts by separatists seeking “Taiwan independence” are doomed to fail.
Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks in response to a media query.
Noting that the drills conducted by the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army on Monday were aimed at cracking down on “Taiwan independence” separatists, Wu emphasized that the drills did not target Taiwan compatriots.
“We will continue to strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and the utmost effort, but we will never promise to renounce the use of force and will not leave any room for ‘Taiwan independence,'” Wu said.
The command on Monday organized its troops of army, navy, air force and rocket force to conduct the drills in the Taiwan Straits and in areas to the north, south and east of the island of Taiwan.
