China urges US to stop aiding and abetting 'Taiwan independence' forces

BEIJING, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- China urges the United States to stop aiding and abetting "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said here on Monday.

Lin made the remarks at a regular press briefing when asked to comment on Taiwan's leader Lai Ching-te holding a phone call with former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as Lai is on a Pacific trip that includes a stop in Hawaii.

Lin said China firmly opposes any form of official interaction between the United States and the Taiwan region, and firmly opposes any form of U.S. moves to aid or abet "Taiwan independence" separatists and their separatist activities.

The Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests, and the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-U.S. relations, Lin said.

He urged the U.S. to fully see the separatist nature of Lai Ching-te and the Democratic Progressive Party authorities, fully understand the grave damage of "Taiwan independence" separatist activities to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, fully abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiqués, and stop meddling in affairs related to Taiwan, which are China's internal affairs.