In disregard of China’s serious representations and repeated warnings, the United States deliberately greenlighted the transit of Tsai Ing-wen, leader of the Taiwan region, through the United States. US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the number three in the US government, had a high-profile meeting with Tsai. Other US officials and lawmakers also had contact with Tsai and provided the platform for her separatist rhetoric for “Taiwan independence”.
For the sake of peace and stability not only across the Taiwan Strait but also worldwide, several clarifications are highly necessary to be properly addressed.
The Taiwan question is not about democracy, but about China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The one-China principle is a prevailing consensus of the international community and a basic norm in international relations, which means with absolute no doubt that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. The sovereignty and territory of China have never been divided and shall never be divided. Some countries hype up the false narrative of “democracy versus autocracy”, connive at and support “Taiwan independence” separatist forces in the name of democracy, and use the Taiwan question to contain China. Such moves are with no basic foundation of truth and facts.
Tsai’s trip is not about peace, but a move to escalate tensions. Report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China states clearly “the policies of peaceful reunification and One Country, Two System are the best way to realise reunification across the Taiwan Strait and the entire Chinese nation”. The difference in systems across the Strait is not a barrier to reunification or an excuse for division. Peaceful reunification and One Country, Two Systems takes Taiwan’s realities into full account and helps Taiwan achieve longstanding peace and stability after reunification. China has been and will continue to pursue a peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and the utmost efforts. However, by allowing Tsai’s visit and arranging the meeting for Tsai and McCarthy, the US deliberately violated the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques. This is a very dangerous move because it shakes the foundation of bilateral relations, which will go nowhere but escalation of tensions.
Tsai’s trip is not about the interest of people across Taiwan Strait, but gives a back door to malicious foreign interference. It is self-explanatory that the future of Taiwan lies in China’s reunification, and the well-being of the people in Taiwan hinges on the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It has been proven that extraterritorial interventionist like the US is the biggest saboteur of peace in Taiwan Strait and the biggest troublemaker to regional stability. Over the years, the US is making every effort to incite groups inside Taiwan to stir up troubles and use Taiwan as a pawn against China. Its very aim is to “use Taiwan to contain China,” set barriers for China's reunification, and curb China's development and progress, rather than put the interest of people across the Taiwan Strait in the first place. The Taiwan question is an internal affair that involves China’s core interests and the Chinese people’s national sentiments. China will not flinch under any external interference, nor will it give any room for anyone who betrays the interest of the people across the Taiwan Strait by opening our back door for outside wolves. Chinese people will decide our own affairs.
Embarking on a new journey in a new era, the CPC and the Chinese government will continue to rally compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, and lead the efforts to answer the call of the times, shoulder historic responsibilities, grasp our fate and our future in our own hands, and work hard to achieve national reunification and rejuvenation.
The author is Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Mumbai. The views expressed here are personal
