Chinese Foreign Ministry tells US to end official contacts with Taiwan
The Chinese Defense Ministry Spokesperson Wu Qian wars that the Chinese Army will take all necessary measures to thwart outside meddling.
According to Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Friday, Beijing has urged the US to sever all ties with Taiwan, which China considers an inalienable part of the country.
The statement comes after Taiwanese news agency CNA reported on Thursday that a delegation of six US congressmen arrived on the island on an unannounced visit for talks with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and National Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng. Beijing has said unequivocally that it opposes any official interaction between the United States and Taiwan.
Earlier, following media reports that US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi would visit Taiwan, China warned that it would take strong measures if Pelosi visited, saying such a visit would have a negative impact on Chinese-US relations.
Read more: China to hold exercises near Taiwan in response to US activity in region: Army
Zhao told reporters that "the US should stop official exchanges with Taiwan," adding that the actions of the US are against the one-China principle and the principles of the three joint communiqués between the two countries.
China's Defense Ministry stated that the Chinese military will take all necessary measures to thwart "Taiwan independence" attempts. Chinese Defense Ministry Spokesperson Wu Qian stressed Friday that the Chinese People's Liberation Army will take all necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and thwart outside interference.
The official website of the Ministry of Defense of the People's Republic of China on the social network WeChat quoted Wu Qian as saying, "The People's Liberation Army will take all necessary measures to resolutely thwart external interference and attempts to organize Taiwan independence."
Commenting on the visit of members of the US Congress to Taiwan, the Chinese Defense Ministry considered that "the US measures seriously violate the one-China principle and the Sino-US tripartite joint memorandums, undermine the political foundation of Sino-US relations, and increase tensions in the Taiwan Strait."
Chinese President Xi Jinping announced, earlier, that relations between China and the US did not break out of the stalemate created by the previous US administration, noting that relations between the two countries are facing challenges because of Taiwan.