China asks US to cease official exchanges with Taiwan
Jun 28, 2022
Beijing [China], June 28 : China on Tuesday asked the United States to strictly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, and cease any form of official exchanges with Taiwan.
According to Chinese News Agency Xinhua, While responding to a query on the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade in a news briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said, "The United States must abide by the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, halt all forms of official interaction with Taiwan, stop negotiating agreements with implications of sovereignty and of an official nature, and refrain from sending any wrong signals to the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces."
He said that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, adding "The government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China."
Zhao further said, "China firmly opposes all forms of official interaction with the Taiwan region by countries having diplomatic ties with China, including negotiating or concluding agreements with implications of sovereignty and of an official nature. This position is consistent and clear."
"We would also like to make it clear to Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities that they need to give up at once on the idea that they could seek independence with US support because the more ambitious they are, the more bitter their failure will be," Xinhua quoted Zhao as saying.
Notably, On June 1, Deputy US Trade Representative Sarah Bianchi and Taiwan Minister John Deng met virtually and launched the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade.
The two sides met under the auspices of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO).
The new initiative intends to develop concrete ways to deepen the economic and trade relationship, advance mutual trade priorities based on shared values, and promote innovation and inclusive economic growth.
Earlier, China warned the US against enhancing ties with the democratic island that Beijing regards as its island and threatens to overtake it by force.
China announced a large-scale military exercise around Taiwan, the third such exercise in the past month as tensions continue to rise in the Taiwan Strait.
