The State Department issued a statement yesterday, under the name of spokesman Ned Price, demanding that Beijing stop its air exercises near Taiwan. Actually, as RT pointed out, it demanded much more than that. “The United States is very concerned by the People’s Republic of China’s provocative military activity near Taiwan, which is destabilizing, risks miscalculations, and undermines regional peace and stability,” Price said. “We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure and coercion against Taiwan.”
“We have an abiding interest in peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” the statement continued. “We will continue to assist Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability, and we will maintain our commitments as outlined in the Three Communiqués, the Taiwan Relations Act, and the Six Assurances. The U.S. commitment to Taiwan is rock solid and contributes to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and within the region. We will continue to stand with friends and allies to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values and deepen our ties with democratic Taiwan.” [https://www.state.gov/increasing-peoples-republic-of-china-military-pressure-against-taiwan-undermines-regional-peace-and-stability/]
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying issued a statement in reply, this morning, telling the State Department that Taiwan is a part of China and that the U.S. statement is a violation of the One China principle. “The one-China principle is the political foundation of China-U.S. relations,” Hua said. “On the Taiwan question, the U.S. should abide by the one-China principle and the stipulations of the China-U.S. joint communiqués rather than something cooked up by itself unilaterally. ‘Taiwan independence’ leads nowhere. China will take all necessary measures to resolutely crush all attempts at ‘Taiwan independence.’ China has firm resolve and will to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
