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Ambassador Zheng Zeguang: US betrays its words and creates tension, should bear full responsibility for the consequences
2022-08-02 23:30

On August 2, Ambassador Zheng Zeguang held a press conference for Chinese and British media in which he stated China’s solemn position regarding US House Speaker Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan and answered questions.

Journalists from Sky News, The Guardian, Financial Times, Xinhua News Agency, People’s Daily, China Central Television, China Global Television Network, and China Daily attended the press conference.

The transcript of the press conference is as follows:

Ambassador Zheng: The Foreign Ministry of the People’s Republic of China issued an official statement concerning the question of Taiwan this afternoon. On the basis of that statement, I’d like to emphasize the following position.

We strongly condemn the visit by US House Speaker Pelosi to China’s Taiwan region. Her insistence on this visit in disregard of the opposition from China seriously violated the one-China principle and the provisions of the three Sino-US joint communiqués, seriously infringed on China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and seriously undermined peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. We firmly oppose such highly irresponsible,provocative and dangerous act.

There is but one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inseparable part of China’s territory. The one-China principle is the centerpiece of the three Sino-US Joint Communiqués, and the premise and foundation for the establishment and development of China-US relations. In 1979, the US made a clear commitment in the Sino-US Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations that the United States recognizes the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China, and the United States will only maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan. Pelosi is the incumbent US House Speaker and ranks second in the US presidential line of succession. Her visit to Taiwan, in what ever form, under whatever pretext and at whatever time during her tenure, is a serious violation of the one-China policy as committed by the US Government, and a major political provocation of upgrading the official contact between the US and Taiwan. It is absolutely unacceptable.

The Taiwan Strait is now facing a new round of tension and serious challenges. The fundamental reason lies in the repeated provocation from the Taiwan authorities and the US side. The US side betrayed its word and broke its commitment, distorted, obscured and hollowed out the one-China policy, raised tension in the Taiwan Strait and emboldened the arrogance of the “Taiwan independence” forces. This is a highly dangerous trick like “ playing with fire”, and those playing with fire will get burnt.

The position of the Chinese Government and people on the Taiwan question has always been clear-cut and consistent. To resolutely safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country represents the unbending will of the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people. To realise the complete reunification of the motherland is the common aspiration and sacred obligation of all Chinese sons and daughters. The will of the people is not to be defied. The Chinese side will take resolute and forceful measures to uphold China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. All the consequences arising therefrom must be borne by the US side and “Taiwan independence” separatist forces.

The Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair. No other country, the United States included, has the right to interfere. We urge the US side to stop playing the “Taiwan card” against China, stop meddling in Taiwan affairs and China’s internal affairs. We urge the US side to abide by the one-China principle and the provisions in the three Sino-US joint communiqués with concrete actions, deliver the “five noes” commitment made by the US President and refrain from going any further down the wrong and dangerous path.

We hope that the other countries will recognize the extreme sensitivity of the Taiwan question, honour their commitment to the one-China principle, exercise prudence in words and actions relating to the Taiwan question, and not be led astray by or dance to the tune of the United States, so as to maintain sound and steady development of the bilateral relations with China.


People’s Daily: Some UK politicians said the UK should “ensure that Taiwan has the ability to defend itself”, and a few MPs said they plan to visit Taiwan. What is your comment?

Ambassador Zheng: We hope the UK side will not dance to the tune of the United States.

China and the UK issued the Joint Communiqué on the Agreement on an Exchange of Ambassadors on March 13, 1972, in which the UK side recognizes unequivocally China’s position that Taiwan is a province of China, and undertakes the commitment to maintain only unofficial relations with Taiwan. This Joint Communiqué is the political foundation and the precondition for the establishment and development of diplomatic relations between China and the UK. The UK side must strictly abide by it.

Whether it’s the talk about “helping Taiwan defend itself” or the plan of parliamentarians to visit Taiwan, they both constitute serious violations of the one-China principle and the Joint Communiqué and impose grave interference in China’s internal affairs. They will inevitably lead to severe consequences for China-UK relations. The UK side knows this all too well.

We call on the UK side to abide by its own commitments and not to underestimate the extreme sensitivity of the Taiwan issue or follow the US foot steps and “play with fire”. Remember: Those who play with fire get burnt!

Sky News: Given this visit by Nancy Pelosi and the response that China has made, is that making China reconsider or think about the support it might give to Russia in its war in Ukraine? Can I also ask a UK-related question about the two leadership hopefuls who want to become the UK’s next Prime Minister. Both talked very tough on China. Rishi Sunak has called China the biggest threat to the UK, and his colleague Liz Truss has said that the West needs to learn the lessons from Russia’s invasion in Ukraine when it comes to Taiwan and make sure that Taiwan is properly defended. What is your message to these two politicians wanting to become the UK’s next Prime Minister when it comes to how they deal with your country?

Ambassador Zheng: First of all, China's position on the question of Ukraine has always been clear and consistent. It is based on the merit of the matter itself. We are always for peaceful resolution of international disputes. In the meantime, we believe that the security interests of all parties must be recognized and dealt with properly.

The nature of the question of Taiwan is completely different from the question of Ukraine. Taiwan is an inseparable part of China. The affairs of Taiwan are purely domestic affairs of China and brook no interference by external forces.

On China-UK relationship, we are always for its steady and continuous development based on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefits. Everybody in this country can see the benefits of the development of this relationship over the past 50 years. So we certainly hope China-UK relations will continue to be guided by such principles as mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.

The anti-China rhetoric by certain UK politicians is unfounded, very destructive and poisonous. It has created uncertainties and unease among the business communities and also in the society. China and the UK have every reason to maintain close, productive and constructive relationship. It is in the interest of both countries and the world. We urge those UK politicians to stop making up stories, stop spreading the fallacy of the so-called “China threat”, and be realistic about the fundamentals of the relationship. They should stop spoiling, undermining China-UK relations.

So far as China is concerned, the election here is the domestic affair of the UK. We have no interest in making comments about it. And we will work with whoever becomes the new prime minister for the development of China-UK relationship based on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.

Xinhua News Agency: Duringthe UK Conservative Party leadership campaign, some people suggested that the UK should reduce its economic dependence on China and limit China's involvement in British economy. What is your comment?

Ambassador Zheng: Such remarks are irresponsible and unfounded. Agitating "decoupling" from China clearly violates WTO rules and the principle of free trade, and will severely undermine the interests of British consumers and businesses. The economic cooperation between China and the UK is built on the basis of mutual benefit. Mutual benefit is also the reason why such cooperation has grown fast in the past 50 years. Last year, the two-way trade exceeded 100 billion US dollars. "Decoupling" from China will lead to further rise in the already skyrocketing cost of living and inflation in the UK, and British businesses will risk losing a huge market of over 1.4 billion people. We do not want to see this happen. We urge those UK politicians to stop anti-China rhetoric and stop undermining China-UK relations.

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