China reiterates opposition of foreign interference in Taiwan

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Defense and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council on Wednesday expressed strong indignation and condemnation over the congratulatory messages sent by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other US officials to Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen on her inauguration.

Pompeo called Tsai “Taiwan’s president” and hyped up the US-Taiwan “partnership” in his statement on Tsai’s inauguration. Some US officials and politicians also sent video messages congratulating Tsai.

The Chinese ministries reiterated that the Taiwan question falls into the ambit of China’s internal affairs and any external interference into the matter will not be tolerated. “The above-mentioned moves constitute a severe violation of the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, and a serious interference in China’s internal affairs,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

According to the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the People’s Republic of China and the United States of America signed in December 1978, the United States of America recognizes the government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China. Within this context, the people of the United States will maintain cultural, commercial and other unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan.

The US officials have sent wrong signals to “Taiwan independence” secessionist forces, thus seriously damaging peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as well as China-US relations, it said.

The Taiwan question concerns China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and China’s core interests, the statement said, adding that the Chinese government and people are firmly resolved in opposing secessionist activities of “Taiwan independence” forces, safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, standing against any foreign interference in China’s internal affairs and striving for national reunification.

“China will take necessary countermeasures against the erroneous moves of the United States. The consequences arising therefrom shall be taken by the US side,” said the statement.

The statement urged the United States to correct its mistake immediately, sever official links and cease improving substantial relations with Taiwan, and stop any words and deeds undermining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and China-US relations.

China’s Ministry of National Defense stressed in a statement that the People’s Liberation Army has the resolve, confidence and ability to defeat separatist attempts for “Taiwan independence.”

Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, said the statement, noting that the US move has gravely jeopardized the development of relations between the two countries and their militaries, and gravely undermined peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

“It is extremely wrong and very dangerous,” said the statement.

Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council urged the United States to respect the basic norms of international relations and stop any form of official exchanges with the Taiwan region.

“We will take all necessary measures to safeguard China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and consistently advance national reunification,” said Ma.

Tsai took office in Taipei and started her second term as Taiwan’s leader on Wednesday.

When asked to comment on what Tsai, leader of Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party authority, said about cross-Strait relations in her address earlier in the day, Ma said national reunification is critical to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and cannot be stopped by anyone or any force.

“Taiwan independence” goes against the tide of the times and it is a path to nowhere, Ma said.

The current developments of cross-Strait relations are complex and grave, Ma said, noting that the DPP authority refuses to recognize the 1992 Consensus that embodies the one-China principle, thus unilaterally undermining the political foundation for the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.

“We will continue uniting Taiwan compatriots, work together to promote cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, enhance the affinity of compatriots on both sides of the Strait, and deepen integrated development of the two sides,” Ma said. “We actively support Taiwan businesspeople and enterprises in overcoming difficulties and resuming work and production, and help Taiwan compatriots have more development opportunities and a greater sense of fulfillment on the mainland.”