中文
By Xu Bu
On Aug. 2, disregarding China's firm opposition and solemn representations, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited China's Taiwan region. The trip was a severe violation of the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiqués. It severely impacted the political foundation of China-U.S. relations and infringed upon China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. It gravely undermined peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and sent an utterly wrong signal to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces. China firmly opposes and sternly condemns the trip and has delivered a serious démarche and strong protest to the United States.
There is but one China in the world. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. The United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 of 1971 clearly recognized this. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, 181 countries have established diplomatic relations with China based on the one-China principle. The one-China principle is a universal consensus of the international community and a basic norm in international relations.
The Taiwan question is the most important and sensitive issue at the heart of China-U.S. relations. In February 1972, U.S. President Richard Nixon paid a visit to China, and the two sides jointly issued the Shanghai Communiqué. Then, on Dec. 16, 1978, the China-U.S. Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations was issued, with the two sides deciding to establish diplomatic ties on Jan. 1, 1979. The third communiqué was jointly issued on Aug. 17, 1982. The three China-U.S. joint communiqués were the foundation of sound and stable bilateral ties, and the one-China principle laid the essential cornerstone of China-U.S. relations.
Pelosi's visit to Taiwan was yet another clumsy attempt of the U.S. to provoke trouble and deliberately undermine peace and regional stability across the Taiwan Strait. Over the years, to contain China, the U.S. has made increasingly rampant provocations in playing the "Taiwan card." In the legal aspect, the U.S. has placed its unilaterally-concocted "Taiwan Relations Act" and so-called "Six Assurances" parallel to the three China-U.S. joint communiqués. Regarding policies, the U.S. has continuously introduced Taiwan-related bills and published "new rules" to interact with the island, which has enhanced the exchange between the two sides and lifted their substantive relations. Militarily, the U.S. strengthened arm sales to Taiwan, and its warships consistently sail through the Taiwan Strait. Globally, the U.S. has endorsed the separatist forces for "Taiwan independence," invited the island's political figures to participate in the so-called "Summit for Democracy," and incited and supported it in establishing the so-called "Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania." These provocations have further facilitated separatist forces for "Taiwan independence," severely violating the one-China principle and undermining China-U.S. relations.
Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the Taiwan question is an internal affair of China. Chinese President Xi Jinping has elaborated on China's principled position on the Taiwan question multiple times when speaking with U.S. President Joe Biden over the phone or via video meetings. It has been pointed out that the cause of the latest round of tensions across the Taiwan Strait is that the Taiwan authorities have kept seeking U.S. support for their independence agenda, while some in the U.S. intend to use Taiwan to contain China. Like playing with fire, this trend is perilous, and those who play with fire will perish from it. There is but one China in the world. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. This is the actual status quo of the Taiwan question and the core of the one-China principle. To realize complete reunification of motherland is the common aspiration of all Chinese people.
The U.S. is supposed to be a major responsible country rather than a troublemaker who reneges on past commitments. The U.S. side should abide by the true one-China principle, instead of a fake one, and fulfill its commitments to China faithfully rather than treacherously. If the Taiwan question is not handled correctly, it will have subversive impact on China-U.S. relations. The U.S. has repeatedly claimed that the tension across the Taiwan Strait is because China has changed the status quo. This is false and has sent a seriously misleading message to the international community. The crux of the current situation across the Taiwan Strait is that the Taiwan authorities have repeatedly tried to break through the one-China framework with American connivance and support. Stopping the development of the "Taiwan independence" tendency is to maintain peace across the Taiwan Strait. The U.S. needs to realize the serious harm of "Taiwan independence," stop conniving and supporting "Taiwan independence," and stop interfering in China's internal affairs. The U.S. must avoid going down the wrong path further.
China has entered a new stage of realizing national reunification. Pelosi's visit to Taiwan has further shown that some anti-China forces in the U.S. are eager to use the island to contain China. This also highlights the urgent need for China to realize national reunification. For the first time, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has conducted important military exercises and live-fire drills in six areas around Taiwan. For the first time, the PLA has organized troops from the Navy, Air Force, Rocket Force, Strategic Support Force, and Logistic Support Force to conduct joint combat training exercises in the northern, southwestern, and southeastern waters and airspace off the Taiwan Island. For the first time, the PLA has carried out key training sessions, including joint blockade, sea target assault, strike on ground targets, and airspace control operation, and tested the joint combat capabilities of the troops. This shows that what Pelosi's visit has brought to the separatist forces for "Taiwan independence" are not gifts. Instead, all they have received are the persistent actions of all Chinese people to smash any separatist attempts completely.
Pelosi is a political has-been of the U.S. Congress and is no stranger to manipulating public opinion. We must keep the national rejuvenation and reunification firmly in our hands instead of being carried away by her. The U.S. fantasizes about obstructing China's reunification. However, no matter how it supports "Taiwan independence," it will fail. The U.S. fantasizes about undermining China's development. Yet, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, 1.4 billion Chinese people are making strides toward modernization with Chinese characteristics. The U.S. fantasizes about manipulating geopolitical games. Still, introducing the Taiwan question into the regional strategy, inflaming tensions, and stoking confrontation is a foolish move against the trend of regional peace and development. In the face of the great cause of national reunification, the Chinese people have the gut not to be misled by fallacies or scared by evils and the determination to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and national dignity.
Xu Bu is the president of the China Institute of International Studies.
