China says no force can stand in the way of reunification with Taiwan
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China reiterated its strong opposition to any kind of official contact between the United States and Taiwan.
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Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning speaking at a press conference. (AP)
Beijing has reaffirmed its sovereignty over Taiwan and said that no person or entity has the power to prevent China from attaining its objective of complete national reunification.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning declared at a press conference in Beijing on Friday that China vehemently rejects any kind of official contact between the United States and Taiwan. It is worth noting that Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen is stopping over in the United States en route to Central America.
"We have time and again made our position clear on the so-called 'transit' for Tsai Ing-wen to go to the US. China firmly opposes any form of official interaction between the United States and the Taiwan region. We firmly oppose any visit by the leader of the Taiwan region to the United States in any name or under whatever pretext, and we firmly oppose the US government having any form of contact with the Taiwan authorities," she said.
The top Chinese official considered the reported trip not so much a 'transit', arguing that it is an "attempt to seek breakthroughs and propagate Taiwan secessionism."
"I want to emphasize that whatever the Taiwan authorities say and do, they cannot change the basic fact that Taiwan is part of China's territory. No individual or force can stop China from achieving national reunification," she further added.
During a meeting in Beijing with the head of the National Committee on US-China relations, senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi urged the US to apply the high-level consensus reached by the US and Chinese Presidents last year.
A flashback
Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen arrived in New York on Wednesday for a visit that has triggered warnings by China if she meets with House speaker Kevin McCarthy and warnings by the US for Beijing not to "overreact".
Tsai stopped in the United States en route to Central America, where she will meet with the leaders of Guatemala and Belize to strengthen ties with those diplomatic allies.
On her way back to Taiwan it is said she will stop in California, where McCarthy had said he would meet her.
Beijing warned on Wednesday that it was vehemently opposed to any meeting between Tsai and McCarthy and vowed to take "resolute measures to fight back" if it goes ahead.
The United States responded by saying that China should not use Tsai's stopover as a pretext to "act aggressively" around the Taiwan Strait.
Xu Xueyuan, the charge d'affaires at the Chinese embassy in Washington, said she had spoken directly to US officials numerous times and warned them that Tsai's trip would violate China's core interests.
"We urge the US side not to repeat playing with fire on the Taiwan question," Xu told reporters, alluding among other things to last year's visit to Taiwan by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Tsai's trip follows Honduras' decision this month to open diplomatic relations with Beijing, leaving Belize and Guatemala among just 13 countries that have official ties with Taipei.
After first visiting New York, Tsai will meet with her Guatemalan counterpart Alejandro Giammattei and Belize Prime Minister John Briceno in their respective countries, her office said. She will then stop in Los Angeles on her way home.
McCarthy has said he will meet Tsai in his home state, although the talks are yet to be confirmed by Taiwanese authorities.
Tensions rose between China and Washington following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei in August 2022. China considers Taiwan part of its mainland and opposes any direct official foreign contact with the island, in accordance with the One-China Principle.
China announced last year that it will firmly fight against "Taiwan’s independence" and promote reunification of the island with the homeland.
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