US-proposed Taiwan bill strongly protested

China on Thursday made a strong protest to the United States after the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the Taiwan Policy Act of 2022, saying the bill violated the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning urged Washington at a regular news briefing not to advance deliberation of the bill.

"If the TPA is further deliberated and even passed as law, it would greatly shake the political foundation of China-US relations and cause extremely severe consequences for bilateral relations as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits," the spokeswoman warned.

The one-China principle is the political foundation of China-US relations and also the core connotation of the three China-US joint communiques, Mao said.

The bill will be brought to the floor of the Senate and it must clear the full Senate and House before being submitted to the White House and signed into law by the US president.

China firmly opposes the act, Mao said, as it interferes in China's internal affairs, runs counter to international law and the basic norms governing international relations, as well as sends seriously wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces.

Beijing strongly urged Washington to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques and earnestly honor the pledge made by the US president that the country does not support "Taiwan independence", the spokeswoman said.

The US should stop playing the "Taiwan card" and not exploit Taiwan to contain China, she added. "China will take all necessary measures to resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity in light of the process and final outcome of the bill."

While underlining there is but one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, Mao said China would resolutely push forward complete national reunification.

"No country, no force and no individual should miscalculate the strong resolve, determination and capabilities of the Chinese government and Chinese people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as realize national reunification and rejuvenation," she said.