Question: Why is it the case that the US is seeking to hollow out the one-China principle?

Spokesperson: Over the past 40 years and more, the US has not been faithfully implementing the one-China principle and the three joint communiqués. It has significantly eased the constraints on official exchanges and evidently raised the level and frequency of interactions with Taiwan. This is a breach of the US commitment to maintaining only unofficial relations with Taiwan. There have been more frequent and open military interactions between the US and Taiwan, and the US is selling greater numbers of and more advanced arms to Taiwan. This is a violation of the US commitment to gradually reducing its sale of arms to Taiwan, leading, over a period of time, to a final resolution. The US has also helped Taiwan expand its so-called “international space”, even moving to the front stage to help Taiwan consolidate its so-called “diplomatic ties”. This is a trampling of its commitment that it has no intention of pursuing a policy of “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan”. 

In recent years, the US has doubled down on its efforts to mislead the public in order to hollow out the one-China principle. For example, the US is using more modifiers to its one-China policy, including the “Taiwan Relations Act” and “Six Assurances”. These modifications were unilaterally formulated by the US, which have never been recognised and  is firmly opposed by China from the very beginning. The US has spread fallacy in the international community that the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 has not resolved the status of Taiwan, claiming that its one-China policy is different from China’s one-China principle, and that each country has the right to define its own one-China policy. Such moves are aimed at using the Taiwan question to obstruct China’s peaceful reunification, undermining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and building Taiwan into “an unsinkable aircraft carrier” to contain China.

It must be pointed out that the Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair, and realizing China’s complete reunification is the shared aspiration of all Chinese people. China is unwavering in defending its sovereignty and security interests. There is no room whatsoever for compromise or concession on the Taiwan question. 

We urge the US side to abide by the one-China principle and stipulations in the three joint communiqués, return to the original and true meaning of one China, and follow through on President Biden’s remarks of not supporting “Taiwan independence”. The US should stop hollowing out the one-China principle, stop seeking to use Taiwan-related issues to contain China, and stop emboldening “Taiwan independence” separatist forces, so as to avoid causing severe damage further to China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.