Ambassador Zheng Zeguang: The Chinese side firmly opposes and strongly condemns the wrong remarks of the UK Side on the Taiwan Question

On August 10th, Ambassador Zheng Zeguang met with senior officials from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, during which he once again lodged solemn representations to the UK side on the latter's wrong remarks and deeds on the question of Taiwan and firmly refuted its wanton accusations. Ambassador Zheng pointed out that the UK side has paid no respect for facts and confused right and wrong by making irresponsible remarks on various occasions on China's legitimate measures of safeguarding national security and territorial integrity. The Chinese side firmly opposes and strongly condemns this.

Ambassador Zheng stressed that Taiwan is a province of China and the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair. The Chinese military drills in the waters and air around the Taiwan Island are a legitimate and necessary measure to uphold national sovereignty and territorial integrity. These measures are reasonable, lawful and justified. No country is entitled to making irresponsible comments on these measures. The UK side is in no position and has no right to wantonly blame China.

Who provoked the recent tensions in the Taiwan Straits? Ambassador Zheng said it was the US side in collusion with the "Taiwan independence"?separatist forces who single-handedly orchestrated the show and stirred up the tensions. The visit by Nancy Pelosi, the US House Speaker, to China's Taiwan region is in no way a so-called "normal", "routine"?visit. This visit seriously violated the one-China principle and the provisions of the three Sino-US joint communiqués, seriously contravened the basic norms governing international relations, seriously infringed on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and seriously undermined?peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits.?The perpetrators were?the US side and "Taiwan independence" separatist forces who took the first provocative move and forced China to take counter-measures. It is absurd and despicable that the UK side is blaming China rather than condemning the perpetrators! Against the malicious provocation from the US?and "Taiwan independence"?forces, the Chinese side has every right to take all necessary measures to?oppose any interference by foreign countries, restrain the separatist attempts seeking "Taiwan independence", and firmly?safeguard its national security and territorial integrity.

Who is changing the status quo in the Taiwan Straits, and who is threatening peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits? Ambassador Zheng said the US?has been playing the?"Taiwan?card" to contain China?by?approving?arms sales to Taiwan, stepping?up its official exchanges with Taiwan, distorting, obscuring?and hollowing?out the one-China principle, and emboldening?"Taiwan independence" separatist activities. The Taiwan authorities have kept seeking US support for their independence agenda. They refuse to recognize the 1992 Consensus?that embodies the one-China principle, and?go all out to advance?"de-sinicization" and promote "incremental independence". What would you call these moves if they were not changing the status quo and threatening peace in the Taiwan Straits??The?US side and Taiwan authorities must bear?full responsibility?for their own wrongdoings. If the UK side truly cared about peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, it should condemn the US and Taiwan authorities and stop them from making provocations and "playing with fire"; it should also check its own remarks and deeds to avoid sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence"?forces and stop making irresponsible remarks on China's legitimate measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Who is undermining peace in the region and the world? Ambassador Zheng said the international community has already reached a just conclusion. China is always a defender of world peace, a contributor to global development and an upholder of international order. On the issues of peace and security, China has the best records among major countries. We are?the most peace-loving member of the UN Security Council. We have never started a single war. China's development contributes to the forces for?peace and reinforces?the?factors?for stability.?It is the UK and the US who should seriously reflect on their own behaviours globally, including flexing their military muscles and resorting to armed intervention and invasion, that have led to grave consequences in many places of the world.

The Ambassador stressed, the one-China principle is widely-recognised as a basic norm in international relations and a broad consensus of the international community. It is also the political foundation on which China develops relations with other countries. It is a red line that must not be crossed. The Chinese people will meet any action that violates the one-China principle or emboldens "Taiwan independence" forces?with strong rejection?and firm countermeasures. No one should underestimate the great resolve, firm will and strong capability of the Chinese Government and people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and realise reunification of the country and rejuvenation of the nation. Attempts?to play the "Taiwan card"?to contain China will come to nothing. The preposterous show staged by Nancy Pelosi can neither hinder the historical trend of Taiwan's reunification with the mainland, nor change the international consensus that there is only one China. It will certainly not hold back the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Ambassador Zheng stressed that in the Communiqué of the Governments of the People's Republic of China and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on an Exchange of Ambassadors issued 50 years ago, the UK side?explicitly acknowledges the position of the Chinese Government that Taiwan is a province of the People's Republic of China and pledges to only maintain unofficial relations with Taiwan.?It has to be stressed that whether it's the talk about "helping Taiwan defend itself"?or the plan of parliamentarians to visit Taiwan, they both constitute serious violations of the one-China principle and the Joint Communiqué and impose grave interference in China's internal affairs. They will inevitably lead to severe consequences for China-UK relations. The UK side knows this all too well. The Chinese side urges the UK side to abide by its commitment, not to follow the United States and "play with fire", not to develop any form of official contacts or any form of military cooperation with Taiwan,?and stop defending the indefensible action of the US and "Taiwan independence"?forces. The UK side should refrain from all rhetoric and action that interfere in China's internal affairs.