Q: According to “World Journal” and other media reports, the leader of the Taiwan authorities will “transit” New York on the 29th and attend public events, including delivering a speech at the Hudson Institute. What's your comment?

A: China firmly opposes any form of official interaction between the U.S. and the Taiwan region. We firmly oppose any visit by leader of the Taiwan authorities to the U.S. in any name or under whatever pretext. And we firmly oppose the U.S.’ having any form of contact with the Taiwan authorities, which violates the one-China principle. It should be stressed that Tsai Ing-wen’s visit is not so much a “transit”, but an attempt to seek breakthroughs and propagate “Taiwan independence”. The U.S. connives and supports relevant acts of the Taiwan authorities, strengthens official interaction with Taiwan and upgrades its substantive exchanges with the region, which impacts the political foundation of China-U.S. relations. It is neither conducive to regional peace, security and stability, nor in the common interests of the Chinese and American peoples.

The one-China principle is a universal consensus of the international community and a basic norm in international relations. 182 countries including the U.S. have established diplomatic relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle. United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, passed in 1971, recognized that the representatives of the government of the People’s Republic of China are the only lawful representatives of China to the United Nations. When China and the U.S. established diplomatic relations in 1979, the U.S. recognized in the joint communique with China that it will only maintain unofficial relations with Taiwan. In recent years, U.S. leaders have repeatedly stressed the commitment of not supporting “Taiwan independence”, “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan”.

The Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed. In disregard of China’s strong opposition and serious representations, the U.S. violates its commitment to China, the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiqués. It infringes upon China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and sends a wrong signal to the separatist forces for “Taiwan independence”, which has aroused strong indignation and widespread opposition among all Chinese people both at home and overseas. I have noticed that the vast number of overseas Chinese in the U.S. firmly oppose Tsai’s visit and any acts that undermine China-U.S. relations by publishing open letters and holding protests.

The tide of history is mighty. Those who follow it will prosper, while those who go against it will perish. The Unification is the general trend of Chinese history and the common will of all Chinese people. Tsai and other “Taiwan independence” separatists attempt to solicit foreign support including from the U.S. to advance their agenda, willingly stoop to acting as a pawn to contain China, fully exposing their political nature of “Flattering U.S.”, “Seeking Independence” and “Betraying Taiwan”. They will be disdained by the people and condemned by history.

We hope that people from all walks of life in the consular district can fully understand the origin, nature and real status quo of the Taiwan question, respect the desire and efforts of the Chinese people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity and realize complete national reunification, and stay awake for some U.S. and Taiwan politicians who are hyping up tension across the Taiwan Straits for their own political interest.

We are willing to join hands with friends in the consular districts who love peace and uphold justice, resolutely oppose all words and deeds that undermine the one-China principle, resist all adventurous moves that endanger peace across the Taiwan Straits, jointly maintain the overall of China-U.S. relations, and seek common benefits for the Chinese and American peoples.