US-Taiwan collusion infringes sovereignty

China is concerned about and firmly opposed to recent US-Taiwan military collusion, and has lodged serious representations with the United States, a Defense Ministry spokesman said on Thursday, warning of "severe consequences".

"The recent actions by the US have seriously infringed on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and had a serious impact on the relations between the two countries and their militaries," Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense, said on Thursday.

He made the remarks in response to US provocations, including the Taiwan Policy Act of 2022, which was approved by the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as well as the passage of US and Canadian warships through the Taiwan Straits.

Tan pointed out that, for some time, some US figures have engaged in provocation in violation of international law, the basic norms of international relations, the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques.

They have "broken serious political commitments" on the Taiwan question, stubbornly pursued a strategy of "containing China through the use of Taiwan", "repeatedly hollowed out the one-China principle", and incited and supported Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities to intensify confrontation across the Straits, he said, warning that such actions were "extremely dangerous and harmful".

"The Taiwan question is an internal Chinese affair and bears on China's core interests. We will take resolute countermeasures against US wrongdoings related to Taiwan", he said, urging the US side to stop military collusion with DPP authorities in Taiwan. "Otherwise, they will bear serious consequences".

The senior colonel also refuted a report by the island's "defense authority" that claimed the mainland "seriously threatened the island's security and the peace and stability across the Straits".

Saying that it was "extremely irresponsible to deliberately hype a mainland military threat", as it confused right and wrong, and escalated tensions and confrontation between the two sides, he noted that "Taiwan independence" forces and their activities have always been the biggest obstacle to China's reunification, as well as a serious danger to national rejuvenation.

"The People's Liberation Army's military exercises around Taiwan are a legitimate and necessary response to persistent provocations by 'Taiwan independence' forces," Tan said, emphasizing that these were just actions to safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The DPP authorities have distorted and denied the 1992 Consensus and continuously sought "independence" with external forces, which is the root cause of the current tension, he said, stressing that "there will be no peace across the Straits until 'Taiwan independence' is eradicated".

"Our military countermeasures will not stop until the DPP authorities and the 'Taiwan independence' forces stop seeking 'independence' through military means," the spokesman warned, adding that as long as the DPP authorities and the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces continue to pursue independence by force, China's military countermeasures would continue.