Beijing tells West peace depends on 'one China'
The Taiwan question is exclusively China’s internal affair, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin has said. He emphasized that the key to stability and peace in the Taiwan Strait is the ‘one-China principle.’
During a regular press conference on Monday, the official commented on French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna’s statement that “calm and stability must prevail in the Taiwan Strait, and certainly the world doesn't need a new crisis.”
Her words came amid reports that Australia had accused China of injuring its navy divers during an operation in international waters in November. Canberra claimed that a Chinese warship emitted dangerous sonar waves near Australian divers despite repeated warnings. Beijing has denied all accusations, calling it “completely unfounded.”
Wang referred to China’s previous response, citing the spokesperson for China’s State Council for Taiwan Affairs Office, Chen Binhua, in his statement last week that “Taiwan independence means war” while stressing that “the solid anchor to cross-Strait peace and stability is the one-China principle.”
“We hope relevant parties will adhere to the one-China principle, stand firmly with China against Taiwan independence, and safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” Wang added.
A few weeks ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping told US President Joe Biden during their meeting in California that Taiwan is the biggest and most dangerous issue in bilateral relations. Xi said Washington should stop arming Taipei and support China’s peaceful reunification, which is “unstoppable.”
While Taiwan has long been self-governing, China views the island as part of its territory under the one-China principle, reserving the right to reunification by force should it formally declare independence. The US has officially recognized China’s sovereignty over Taiwan since the last century; however, last year, Biden said that Washington “would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.”
In August, the Biden administration approved funding for the first-ever transfer of US military equipment to Taiwan under a program typically reserved for sovereign nations, according to CNN. Last year, the US government passed the Taiwan Enhanced Resilience Act, which allows up to $2 billion annually in military aid to the island from 2023 to 2027.
