China slams US provocations over Taiwan question

BEIJING - China on Monday slammed the remarks of some US officials on the Taiwan question, saying that the United States and Taiwan are playing with fire by continuously provoking China.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a daily news briefing in response to a query on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's recent Taiwan-related comments, in which Blinken reportedly said that the United States is "committed to making sure that Taiwan has the means to defend itself."

"The Taiwan question is China's internal affair and certain US politicians have wantonly challenged the one-China principle, gravely violated the three China-US Joint Communiques and sent a seriously wrong signal of support to separatist forces seeking 'Taiwan independence,'" Zhao said, adding that China expresses strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this.

Reiterating that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China, Zhao said the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China.

The separatist forces seeking "Taiwan independence" are soliciting foreign support and relying on the United States to seek independence, which is the fundamental reason for the current tension in the Taiwan Strait, the spokesperson said.

Some people in the United States are trying to contain China with Taiwan, and conniving and supporting Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authority to change the status quo, Zhao said, adding that such activities have heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

Noting that China is willing to do its utmost to strive for peaceful reunification, Zhao warned of drastic actions should the separatist forces seeking "Taiwan independence" attempt to cross the red line.