The US must stop all forms of official interaction with Taiwan and stop sending signals to separatists, backing independence for the island, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Thursday.
Beijing “has always been strongly opposed to all forms of official contacts between Taiwan and countries that maintain diplomatic relations with China,” Zhao Lijian told a news briefing, commenting on reports about forthcoming economic consultations between the US and Taiwan.
US officials’ visits to Taiwan or a trade dialog with the island are “violations of the One China principle” and attempts to support and encourage separatists, and these actions undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, the diplomat said.
“The US must fully comply with the One China principle and three joint Chinese-American communiques, stop all official contacts with Taiwan, stop discussing or signing agreements of an official nature with Taiwan,” the diplomat said, also demanding that Washington stop sending signals to separatist forces, backing Taiwan’s independence. The US’ persistent attempts to play “the Taiwan card” are endangering its relations with China, he added.
The US and Taiwan plan a series of consultations, aiming to boost economic ties, develop trade and promote innovative projects, according to a statement by the office of US Trade Representative Catherine Tai. The first meeting of the series is expected to take place in Washington later this month.
Taiwan has been governed by a local administration since 1949. Beijing regards the island as one of its provinces, and this position is supported by most countries, including Russia.
Meanwhile, Chinese newspaper The Global Times in an editorial said:
In response to the latest remarks by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken who sees China posing great challenges to the so-called rule-based international order, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson refuted those claims and urged the US to reflect on what the international order that people want rather than a US-led hegemony and groundless containment of other countries’ legitimate rights.
When Blinken claimed that the US sought to build an order very imperfectly but profoundly liberal in nature, does it mean it’s the order based on which the US can do whatever it wants and other countries can only follow its steps? Zhao Lijian, spokesperson from the Chinese ministry, asked during a press conference on Thursday.
“Does it mean that the US can attack other sovereign countries militarily at will, while other countries can only keep quiet and endure it? Does it mean that the US can arbitrarily and unilaterally slap illegal sanctions on other sovereign countries, while other countries have to accept it? Does it mean that the US can attack, smear, suppress and contain other countries’ legitimate sovereignty, security and development rights without a bottom line, while other countries can only wait and never fight back?” Zhao asked.
Blinken said at the Foreign Affairs Magazine Centennial Celebration on Wednesday that China posed “the most serious long-term challenge to that rules-based order.”
The order that we’ve sought to build very imperfectly, but that we’ve sought to build, is profoundly liberal in nature, the US official said, claiming that the order that China seeks is illiberal, and the US disagrees.
This is not so-called freedom nor order. It’s hegemony and bullying,” Zhao said, noting that the US, along with a few countries, come up with the so-called rules which are rejected by people from other countries, who want equal and shared common security, common development and prosperity.
It’s time for the US to reflect and truly assume the responsibilities for the world’s peace and development, the Chinese official said.
Blinken made his latest remarks following his China policy address, which was also strongly refuted by the Chinese side given its Cold War mentality against China. As his speech also distinguished the policy positions of the US government toward the Communist Party of China, the Chinese government and the Chinese people, Zhao voiced a firm opposition toward such positions that provoke the blood and flesh bond between the CPC and the Chinese people.
The Chinese people clearly see through the US tactics of suppressing and containing China’s development, and such moves of provocation won’t succeed, he said. While US politicians claim that they respect the Chinese people, they have to respect the history, the reality and the path of development as well as political system chosen by the Chinese people.
“We hope the US stop wasting the time and focus on fixing tons of their own domestic problems, playing the active role of the world’s peace and development,” Zhao said, noting that it’s not the time for manipulating so-called democracy vs authoritarianism or magnify the differences between political systems.
