Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying’s Regular Press Conference on August 3, 2022
CGTN: US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement on the night of August 2 that “Our congressional delegation’s visit to Taiwan honors America’s unwavering commitment to supporting Taiwan’s vibrant democracy. America’s solidarity with the 23 million people of Taiwan is more important today than ever, as the world faces a choice between autocracy and democracy.” Do you have any comment?
Hua Chunying: The nature of her visit is absolutely not about democracy, but about China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. What she has done is definitely not about upholding or defending democracy, but a provocation and infringement on China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Many people have hit the nail in their comments about the visit. They pointed out that Pelosi’s dangerous provocation is purely aimed at reaping political capital for herself. It is an ugly political stunt through and through. In this ugly stunt, democracy has been reduced a cheap tool and a pretext that the US habitually uses. While Pelosi is the one performing this grandstanding act, it is the China-US relationship and the peace and stability in the region that is taking the toll.
The kind of democracy referred to by Pelosi is like nothing but a robe with lice crawling all over it. It may look opulent from a distance, but couldn’t stand close scrutiny. From the Capitol riot, the death of George Floyd, the Robb Elementary School shooting, and America’s over 1 million COVID deaths, we see the hypocrisy and cold-bloodedness of the kind of democracy Pelosi referred to. We see the empty pledge and so-called strength of this type of democracy from what the US military has done in Iraq and Syria and from its retreat from Kabul.
Being the number three figure in the US government, while problems with US democracy are piling up, Pelosi has been using taxpayer money and flying to Taiwan on US military aircraft to put on a political stunt. What she has done violates the international law and basic norm in international relations and jeopardizes other countries’ domestic affairs, sovereignty and territorial integrity. This has only served to open up people’s eyes about the hypocrisy and ugliness of the US and further bankrupt the US’s credibility as a country. As Republican Congresswoman Majorie Greene has tweeted, Pelosi is not “staying in America and solving problems afflicting our people” and she is “obsessed with her own power she’s held for decades while our entire country crumbles … enough with this fake ‘courage’ defending democracy.”
I would also like to remind Pelosi that she is pitting herself against one-fifth of the world’s population and making a provocation to the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people. People will not be fooled. Public opinion cannot be defied. Will Pelosi go down in history with a favorable or foul reputation because of this stunt? I’m sure history will give a fair answer.
AFP: State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said today that China will punish those who offend China. Can you tell us what further punishment is planned?
Hua Chunying: China will do everything necessary to firmly uphold its sovereignty and territorial integrity. All consequences arising therefrom shall be borne by the US side and the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces. We mean what we say. I would like to kindly ask you for some additional patience and confidence.
Phoenix TV: We have seen a Washington Post Op-Ed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying that the US cannot stand by in the face of violation of the rights of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and Tibet. Do you have any comment?
Hua Chunying: When Pelosi says that the US cannot stand by, why has she been standing by when it comes to the domestic problems in her own country?
She is being oblivious to the plethora of problems within her country and does not care about the livelihoods and wellbeing of her fellow Americans, but she has been pulling political stunts and repeating what has been proven by numerous facts to be the lie of the century. This is a typical example of “you can’t wake a person who is pretending to be asleep”. This exposes the hypocrisy and ugliness of some US politicians and their sinister motive of using human rights as a pretext to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs, undermine China’s stability and containing China’s development.
Global Times: On Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, US officials now try to justify it and even to shift blame. For example, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that “China tries to turn what is in the historical norm into a crisis” and is the one “who’d be escalating”. National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House John Kirby said that this visit doesn’t violate the US’s one-China policy. What’s your comment?
Hua Chunying: I think you summed it up well. The US officials have been trying hard to explain it away and even putting the blame on us. It is like a thief crying “Stop thief!” This reflects the lack of credibility, knowledge about history and self-reflection on the part of the US government. As an old Chinese saying goes, “A man’s troubles lie in reading too little about history.” It is high time that the US officials caught up on the history of the Taiwan question.
There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is part of China. The Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the entire China. This is at the heart of the one-China principle and also a universal consensus of the international community and a basic norm in international relations. In October 1971, the 26th Session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758, which “decides to restore all its rights to the People’s Republic of China and to recognize the representatives of its Government as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations, and to expel forthwith the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek from the place which they unlawfully occupy at the United Nations and in all the organizations related to it.” A total of 181 countries, including the US, have established diplomatic ties with China on the basis of the one-China principle.
Historically, the Taiwan question was the biggest obstacle to the normalization of China-US relations. China, for its firm commitment to the one-China principle, refused to make any compromise or concession on this issue. In 1971, the US affirmed to China the new principles that it would follow with regard to the Taiwan question. They include, the US would acknowledge that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is a part of China; the US would not repeat the phrase that the status of Taiwan is undetermined; the US had not supported, and would not support movements for “Taiwan independence”. When President Nixon visited China in 1972, he reaffirmed those principles to Premier Zhou Enlai, and hence the Shanghai Communiqué.
And in that Communiqué, the US made it very clear that “the United States acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China. The United States Government does not challenge that position.” These US commitments led to the start of the process toward normalization of China-US relations. According to the Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China released in 1978, the US “recognizes the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China” and “acknowledges the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China”. And in the August 17 Joint Communiqué of 1982, the US side made it clear that “the United States of America recognized the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China, and it acknowledged the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China.” Also in that communiqué, the US “reiterates that it has no intention of infringing on Chinese sovereignty and territorial integrity, or interfering in China’s internal affairs, or pursuing a policy of ‘two Chinas’ or ‘one China, one Taiwan’.” It was based on those three Joint Communiqués that our ties with the US have generally achieved stable development in the past 40-plus years.
However, in recent years, the US has not matched its words with deeds. It has been distorting, altering, blurring, and hollowing out the one-China principle and trying to cross red lines and pushing the boundaries. It has used all means to play the “Taiwan card”, deliberately switched policy interpretations, and inserted its unilaterally concocted “Taiwan Relations Act” and “Six Assurances” part into the one-China policy. It has even at one point dropped key formulations such as “Taiwan is part of China” on the website of the State Department. The US has also brazenly sought to upgrade US-Taiwan relations, increase arms sales to Taiwan and embolden the “Taiwan independence” separatist activities.
The US government was supposed to rein in the attempt to visit Taiwan by the third highest ranking member of the US government. However, the US government has connived at this provocation. This is the root cause and truth behind the tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
The historical ins and outs of the Taiwan question are crystal-clear, so are the facts and status quo that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one and the same China. The international community knows it too. Over the past few days, many leaders around the world and people from different walks of life have voiced their opposition to the visit. The spokesperson of the UN Secretary-General has just said that the UN will continue to adhere to the UNGA Resolution 2758 and uphold the one-China principle. Clearly, people with a sense of justice can easily tell right from wrong.
The position of the Chinese government and Chinese people on the Taiwan question is consistent. Resolutely safeguarding China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is the firm will of the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people. To achieve national reunification is the shared aspiration and sacred duty of all Chinese people. Public opinion will not be defied, and the trend of the times cannot be reversed. No country, force or individual shall misestimate the firm resolve, strong will and great capability of the Chinese Government and people to defend state sovereignty and territorial integrity and to achieve national reunification and rejuvenation.
Bloomberg: Just to follow up on the possible countermeasures that you mentioned. Can you elaborate a little bit on whether there will be sanctions directly on Taiwan? Will there be sanctions on Nancy Pelosi as an individual and on other US officials?
Hua Chunying: In disregard of China’s strong opposition and serious representations, Speaker Pelosi visited China’s Taiwan region. This is a serious violation of the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US Joint Communiqués. It has a severe impact on the political foundation of China-US relations, and seriously infringes upon China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It gravely undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and sends a seriously wrong signal to the separatist forces for “Taiwan independence”. Last night, China’s Foreign Ministry, the National People’s Congress, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and the Ministry of National Defense immediately issued statements or remarks to condemn the visit. Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng summoned US ambassador to China Nicholas Burns at once. Chinese Ambassador to the US Qin Gang immediately made serious representations to the White House National Security Council and also the State Department. This morning, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi issued remarks on this.
China will do everything necessary to firmly defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity. All consequences arising therefrom shall be borne by the US side and “Taiwan independence” separatist forces. We mean what we say. As for the specific countermeasures that you are interested to know, what I can say is that what needs to be done will be done and these measures will be resolute, strong and effective. They will be continuously felt by the US side and “Taiwan independence” forces.
And also, I wish to stress that if we look back at each provocation the US has made targeting China, we can see that they have invariably disgraced and backfired on the US itself. The last example is when Pelosi and some others incited the criminal elements and violent forces in Hong Kong and advocated a so-called “beautiful sight to behold”. That, however, gave reason to Hong Kong to expeditiously end chaos, and restore order and prosperity in Hong Kong. The city, known as the Pearl of the Orient, regained its vigor and charm. This time is no exception. For people like Pelosi, their futile attempt to collude with the “Taiwan independence” forces and use the Taiwan question to contain China and undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity will not stop, but only accelerate the historic process of China’s reunification.
As State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said, the US has reneged on its commitments on the Taiwan question, openly played with fire and pitted itself against the 1.4 billion Chinese people, and none of this will end well.
CCTV: In response to a question concerning US House Speaker Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, said that “the policy of the United Nations on this issue is that we are guided by General Assembly Resolution 2758 from 1971 on one China”. At the same time, we also see that many countries and fair-minded people in the US have voiced support for China, including the renowned American columnist Thomas L. Friedman, who called Pelosi’s visit “utterly reckless” and “irresponsible”. He noted that “Taiwan will not be more secure or more prosperous as a result of this purely symbolic visit, and a lot of bad things could happen.” What’s your comment?
Hua Chunying: Following the visit by Speaker Pelosi to the Taiwan region, within less than one day, people of different ranks and backgrounds from more than 100 countries and international organizations have spoken up in various ways to condemn her wrong, foolish and insane decision and express their support for the one-China principle and for China’s legitimate efforts to uphold its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Their voice for justice has truly touched us.
Let me just give you a few examples. The Press Secretary of the President of Russia, the Spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Russian Foreign Ministry, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, and Deputy Chairman for the Federal Assembly of Russia have stated that Russia firmly adheres to the one-China principle, opposes any form of “Taiwan independence”, supports China’s right to do everything necessary to defend China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The statement of the Foreign Ministry of Belarus said that Speaker Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan is an obdurate and irresponsible act of the US; that Belarus fully understands China’s concerns about the US’s interference in China’s internal affairs and the escalated tensions across the Taiwan Strait as a result of it; and that Belarus supports China’s measures to realize national reunification. The spokesperson for the DPRK Foreign Ministry said that the US’s interference in others’ internal affairs is contemptible, and constitutes deliberate political and military provocations and the root cause for the disruption to peace and security in the region; that the DPRK strongly condemns any foreign interference in the Taiwan question, which is China’s internal affair; that the DPRK fully supports the just position of the Chinese government to resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity; and that the US’s attempt to hold back China’s development and reunification will surely be resolutely thwarted. Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said in a statement that the US is interfering in China’s internal affairs and undermining China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity; and that the visit is another example of the US’s policy of interfering in other countries’ internal affairs and the way the US conducts its foreign policy, which will only further undermine regional peace and stability. The Syrian Foreign Ministry’s statement said that Syria condemns in the strongest language the US’s unprecedented ratcheted-up actions and provocation policy against China; that Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan is against international law; and that this irresponsible behavior reflects the US’s “commitment” to disrupting peace and stability of the region and the world and serious harm to world peace and security. The Palestinian Presidency released a statement calling for halting any actions that run contrary to the One China Policy principle while affirming China’s right to defend its sovereign, security and development interests. Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega has issued a statement saying that when Speaker Pelosi flies on a military aircraft into the Taiwan region, it constitutes an invasion; and that Such provocations will only make China stronger. Nicaragua’s Foreign Ministry also released a statement saying that Nicaragua supports China’s efforts to uphold sovereignty and territorial integrity and the government of Nicaragua urges the US to stop provocations. The Foreign Minister of Trinidad and Tobago openly reaffirmed commitment to the one-China principle. The Foreign Ministry of the Laos issued a statement that said it reaffirms its support for the one-China principle, opposition to any intention aiming at creating a situation for “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan” and support for China’s unification by peaceful means. The royal family of Cambodia said on social media that there is only one China and Taiwan is a province of China. The Spokesperson of the UN Secretary-General reiterated the UN’s commitment to the one-China principle, which was laid down in Resolution 2758 adopted by the 26th General Assembly in 1971. The office of the leading Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States (LAS) put out a statement on the official LAS website stressing that the one-China principle should be complied with, that it opposes actions that violate relevant UN resolutions and undermine regional peace and stability, and that the Arab League supports China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and firmly upholds the one-China principle. Main political parties in Tunisia said on social media platforms that no country has the right to interfere in China’s internal affairs and Pelosi’s visit will only further damage the image of the US. It also believes that the US has made its fortune by plundering other countries. When it cannot win through fair competition, it would play disgraceful gambits like this. This is nothing surprising.
In addition to that, I have seen statements from government officials including former political leaders and people from all walks of life in many countries. For instance, Max Baucus, who used to be the US ambassador to China, said that “We are playing with fire when we get pretty close to the line, and Pelosi is pushing us much, much closer to recognizing Taiwan as an independent country. And once we get there, we’re going to pay a price.” People from Egypt, South Africa, Madagascar, and All-Africa China Association for Peaceful Reunification of China have also spoken up on this. And also Süddeutsche Zeitung from Germany, Neue Zürcher Zeitung from Switzerland, Al Arabiya in Saudi Arabia, Prensa Latina, and other news agencies from many countries including the Bahamas have said that Speaker Pelosi’s visit will trigger regional instability; the US’s claim of not changing the status-quo across the Taiwan Strait is not convincing at all. The US’s provocative activities are intended to create tension at China’s doorstep and hinder China’s development. This will only worsen the turbulent international situation, which is already suffering from the Ukraine crisis and the COVID pandemic. Also, aвести, a news outlet in Uzbekistan noted in a commentary that the visit by Speaker Pelosi is about provoking China against the backdrop of a downward economy in the US, which is very unwise. A survey conducted by the online newspaper udn.com in Taiwan found more than two thirds of the people in Taiwan not supportive of Speaker Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, saying that it will only undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
These just voices show that people in the international community are quite clear-eyed about the nature and intention of the visit. The visit is an ugly political stunt. It will not change the historical and legal facts that Taiwan belongs to China, will not stop the reunification course of China and will not change the fact that 181 countries in the world recognize and support the one-China principle.
Shenzhen TV: According to reports, the Kosovo authorities recently decided to issue RKS license plates for Serbs in Kosovo, and to grant temporary documents to people entering Kosovo holding Serbian IDs. This move has ramped up regional tension. What is China’s comment?
Hua Chunying: On the Kosovo issue, our consistent view is that the best way is for parties concerned to have dialogue and reach a mutually acceptable political solution within the framework of the UN Security Council Resolutions. The sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Serbia should be fully respected, and the parties concerned should continue with practical and constructive dialogue to actively seek a lasting solution to the Kosovo issue.
Reuters: Chinese military said it will carry out targeted military operations in a few areas around Taiwan. Some of these areas encroached into the “internal waters” of Taiwan, which according to UNCLOS is not allowed. Taiwan said that this endangers their national security and hinders the freedom of navigation protected under international law. What’s your comment on this?
Hua Chunying: On the actions taken by the Chinese military, I’m sure you have seen the statements made by the spokespersons of the Ministry of National Defense and the PLA Eastern Theater Command. The actions are aimed at deterring the “Taiwan independence” forces, so they are legitimate and necessary.
We have never seen any problems with the freedom of navigation in relevant waters. I think what truly needs our attention is how the US military vessels and aircraft would fly thousands of miles all the way from their homeland just to flex muscles at the doorstep of China. And also for the US side, maybe it is better not to mention UNCLOS. If the US want to mention it, please join UNCLOS now first. Taiwan, being a part of China, has no right to claim “internal waters”.
CNR: According to reports, with regard to the disposal of nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in his speech at the General Debate at the Tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) that, “In close cooperation with the international community, including the IAEA, Japan will continue to advance its efforts in a transparent manner in accordance with domestic and international safety standards.” What’s your comment?
Hua Chunying: I have noticed relevant reports on this issue. China has made its position very clear many times. We are seriously concerned and firmly opposed to the unilateral decision of the Japanese government to discharge nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean. The Chinese delegation made this position abundantly clear again at the Review Conference of the NPT.
Since that wrong decision of the Japanese government was made in April last year, the international community, including people within Japan, have been questioning and opposing that decision. The international community has a widespread concern that the nuclear-contaminated water could have a negative impact on the marine environment and public health in the countries along the coasts of the Pacific Ocean. They have also been questioning the legitimacy of the discharge plan, the reliability of Japan’s data, the effectiveness of the purification equipment and the uncertainties about the environmental impact. The IAEA has sent a technical task force twice to Japan. And so far, there has been no conclusive opinion on Japan’s proposal. They have also made many requests for clarification and recommendations for improvement. Japan is being extremely irresponsible by ignoring the concerns of relevant parties and pushing forward its proposal. We urge Japan to seriously respond to the legitimate concerns of its people and international community, fully honor its due international obligations to have full consultation with stakeholders and relevant international agencies, and find a proper way to treat the nuclear-contaminated water in a scientific, open, transparent and safe way. Until then, Japan should not unilaterally go ahead with the discharge plan.
The Wall Street Journal: Earlier today Speaker Pelosi met with Tsai Chi-chang, who is the “Vice President of Taiwan’s legislature”. She spoke about how the US could learn from Taiwan on COVID response. There she said “how you address the COVID crisis, how we advance respect for all of the people in our countries as we go forward”, appearing to refer to Taiwan as a country. Does China have any response on that?
Hua Chunying: I believe you know full well what the answer is. Taiwan has never been a country. Historically and legally speaking, it has been a province of China.
AFP: Another question on China’s military exercises around Taiwan. Japan has said that some of the military drills are taking place in the Japanese exclusive economic zone (EEZ). In holding these exercises so close to Taiwan, including to the east of Taiwan, is China prepared for the situation to escalate if there’s a misfiring or a close encounter with other vessels or aircraft?
Hua Chunying: The Chinese military has carried out exercises and training in the waters off China’s Taiwan island. This is necessary and legitimate as a response to the major provocation of the US side and the “Taiwan independence” forces and as a step to firmly uphold China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The relevant Chinese authorities have issued safety alerts and navigation warnings. Since China and Japan have not yet carried out maritime delimitation in relevant waters, China does not accept the notion of so-called “Japanese EEZ”. The Chinese side urges Japan to uphold the one-China principle and the spirit of the four political documents between the two countries and be prudent on the Taiwan question.
Some of you just mentioned the actions taken by China’s military, and we’ve also noted the remarks of the US side on this issue. I’d like to say a bit more about this.
During the past few days, through multiple channels and at various levels, we have repeatedly made clear our firm opposition to Pelosi’s visit to the US side, but apparently the US side and the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces have not taken the message to heart. In that case, the Chinese side is left with one option only, which is to “speak” to them in a way that they can understand.
The important thing is, while expressing our serious opposition to Pelosi’s visit, we need to be clear that it is the US who is the provocateur, and China the victim. The US side colluded with Taiwan and made provocations first, whereas China has been compelled to act in self-defense. The root cause of the tensions in the Taiwan Strait is that the Taiwan authorities have been soliciting US support to seek “Taiwan independence”, and certain individuals in the US intend to use the Taiwan question to contain China. History and reality have proved time and again that the one-China principle is what underpins stability across the Taiwan Strait. When the one-China principle is fully recognized and earnestly followed, the Taiwan Strait would remain calm and tranquil. However, when the one-China principle is willfully challenged or even sabotaged, there would be dark clouds or even violent storms across the Taiwan Strait.
If people truly care about peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, particularly friends from the press, it is very important for you to send a clear message to the US officials and to “Taiwan independence” forces about the need to strictly abide by the one-China principle in both words and deeds. That is how we can truly see peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Reuters: Many Chinese people were disappointed when China did not and could not take more concrete actions to prevent Pelosi from making this visit to Taiwan. On hindsight, should China have done more to guide the public to understand more rationally what is best for the development of US-China relations?
Hua Chunying: The Chinese side has made its serious position clear through statements and actions. Once again, people have seen that certain US politicians would put up a self-serving political stunt at the expense of regional peace and stability, whereas China’s behavior shows its commitment to regional peace and stability as well as its own sovereignty and security interests.
The Chinese side has the firm resolve and will to uphold China’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. There should be no questions about our strong capability to do so. Our countermeasures will be strong, effective and resolute, which will be felt gradually and continuously by the US side and the “Taiwan independence” separatists.
The Chinese people are rational patriots. We have full confidence in the ability of our country and our government to firmly defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity. I recommend that you study closely the century-long history of the Communist Party of China. What challenges haven’t we been through? And look at how far we have come. We have every confidence in our future.
Associated Press of Pakistan: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a recent meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Islamabad said his government was committed to unlock full economic and connectivity potential of CPEC. What is your response?
Hua Chunying: We highly appreciate Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s statements. He values Pakistan’s relations with China. And he has reaffirmed many times that Pakistan will push ahead the building of CPEC with “new Pakistan speed”. After he took office, he has been to the Gwadar port twice, and he has personally chaired meetings with Chinese companies. He has done so much for our practical cooperation. With the guidance of the leaders of both countries and with our concerted efforts, CPEC has taken on a fresh look and many positive progress has been made in advancing the various working groups and projects. China is ready to further implement the understandings between the leaders of our two countries and building on what we have achieved in building and running current projects. We will further focus on industrial development, people’s livelihoods, agriculture, science and technology, and information technology, et cetera, to build CPEC into a demonstration project for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. This will go a long way in strengthening China-Pakistan relations, building the China-Pakistan community with a shared future, and bringing benefits to the people of the two countries.
O Globo: You just mentioned that the one-China principle is at the very basis of US-China relations. Now that you see this visit of Ms. Pelosi to Taiwan as a serious violation of this principle, do you see the need of seeking fundamental changes in this relation between the US and China?
Hua Chunying: The one-China principle is the most important political prerequisite and foundation for any diplomatic relations that we have with other countries, including the US. The one-China principle is the reason why the relationship between China and US has been generally stable over the past 40-plus years. And I think that the overwhelming majority of people in both countries and people across the world hope to see a sound and stable China-US relationship. Any responsible government would be willing to follow the trend of history and to listen to the will of the people.
What the US needs to do is stop trying to hollow out and obscure the one-China principle and not continue down the wrong path.
China always follows the principles of mutual respect and win-win cooperation in developing friendly relations with the US and other countries. Nevertheless, on the one-China principle and issues about sovereignty and territorial integrity, which are China’s core interests, there is no room for us to concede or compromise. We hope the US side would clearly get that.
AFP: China’s Customs Administration said today that it would suspend certain imports from Taiwan over health and safety issues. A number of other Taiwan imports were also blocked earlier this week despite having the required documentation. Can you clarify if these suspensions are intended also to punish Taiwan for Pelosi’s visit?
Hua Chunying: I would like to refer you to the competent authorities about your specific questions. But one thing is for sure: the US side and the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces must take the responsibility and pay the price for their wrong actions.
CCTV: Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said in an interview that his country could join BRICS and it meets “a good part” of the criteria for joining the bloc. Do you have any comment?
Hua Chunying: Since the inception of the BRICS mechanism, it has been closely tied with the future of the emerging markets and developing countries. Today, as the world faces a complex situation, including once-in-a-century changes, an ongoing pandemic and international hotspots, it is important for BRICS countries to strengthen cooperation with other emerging markets and developing countries so that we can be united and work together to address the difficulties and challenges that we face. And this will help us achieve development and prosperity together.
In recent years, Algeria and some other countries have expressed their willingness to join BRICS. China is this year’s BRICS chair and we actively support the launch of the expansion process of BRICS countries and efforts to expand BRICS-plus cooperation. At the 14th BRICS Summit held at the end of June, the leaders of the five BRICS countries unanimously spoke on this issue and expressed support for discussions on expansion criteria and procedures. We will work with other BRICS countries to steadily advance this process so that more partners can join in the BRICS family at an early date.
TASS: Germany’s Foreign Minister reportedly said at a UN meeting that if the mainland invades Taiwan, Germany will give support to Taiwan. Does the foreign ministry have any comment on this?
Hua Chunying: I assume you are referring to the remarks made by the German Foreign Minister at the Review Conference of the NPT. Her indication that China broke international law and attacked its smaller neighbor lacks basic knowledge of history and does not square with facts.
The historical ins and outs and legal facts about the Taiwan question are crystal clear. No individual or force can deny or distort them. I do not have to go far back into history to find an example. Around the end of the Second World War, the Cairo Declaration of 1943 and the Potsdam Proclamation of 1945 were very clear about China’s rights over Taiwan. “All the territories Japan has stolen from the Chinese, including Taiwan and Penghu Islands, shall be restored” to China. The UNGA Resolution 2758 of 1971 decided to restore all these rights to the PRC and reaffirmed the one-China principle.
The Taiwan question is China’s internal affair. Some people compare Ukraine to Taiwan in order to distort the definition of concepts and mislead public perceptions. This constitutes interference in China’s domestic affair and we will definitely not accept that.
The one-China principle is a universally recognized norm in international relations and the political foundation and fundamental prerequisite for China’s relations with other countries. Breaking that principle will undermine bilateral relations. We hope Germany will have an objective and accurate understanding of the Taiwan question and be careful with getting swayed by the US. We hope Germany will keep its commitment to the one-China policy with concrete action and act prudently on Taiwan-related issues.
