Beijing called US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s arrival in Taiwan on Tuesday a “serious crush to political foundations” between China and the US and said Washington would bear any consequences from the visit as its army conducts live-firing exercises surrounding the island.
The Chinese foreign ministry, Taiwan affairs office, and National People’s Congress released a 1,143-word Chinese statement after Pelosi landed in Taipei on Tuesday.
“US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has gone ahead with her visit to Taiwan, disregarding China’s repeated opposition. The move has been a serious violation of the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-US joint communiques, a serious undermining of China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, a serious crushing of the political foundation of China-US relations, and sent a seriously wrong signal to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces,” the statement said.
“China will take all necessary measures to resolutely defend the country’s sovereignty and territory. The US and separatist forces will be responsible for any consequences caused by this,” it added.
FOLLOW LIVE UPDATES ON NANCY PELOSI’S TAIWAN VISIT HERE
But what exactly is the one-China principle that the Chinese government is so concerned about?
1) The one-China policy is a US foreign policy which recognises China’s position that there is only one China on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
2) It is a diplomatic acknowledgement that Taiwan is China.
3) It stipulates that the People’s Republic is the sole legitimate government of China.
READ | Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan threatens peace, stability: China warns US
WHAT IS CHINA’S STAND ON TAIWAN?
1) No country can act as judge on the Taiwan issue.
2) No country should use Taiwan to contain China.
3) No country should meddle in the Taiwan issue.
4) No country should connive with Taiwan’s ‘separatist forces’.
5) No country should distort the one-China principle.
READ | With Taiwan visit, Nancy Pelosi caps career of standing up to China
CHINA FUMES AT PELOSI’S TAIWAN VISIT
Furious over US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, China on Tuesday declared it would conduct missile tests and military drills around Taiwan. The People’s Liberation Army said it would stage a series of military drills including “long-range live firing in the Taiwan Strait” from Tuesday evening.
“The Chinese People’s Liberation Army is on high alert and will launch a series of targeted military operations to counter this, resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and resolutely thwart external interference and ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist attempts,” defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian said in a statement condemning the visit.
Separately, the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theatre Command said it will conduct joint military operations near Taiwan from Tuesday night, and will test-launch conventional missiles in the sea east of Taiwan.
“This action is targeted at the US’s shocking recent major escalation on the Taiwan issue, and serves as a serious warning to Taiwanese independence forces or those seeking independence,” Shi Yi, a spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command, said in a statement.
(With agency input)
READ | Reason behind Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan visit and why China has issued threats
— ENDS —