HAIYAN: Taiwan question is China’s red line that must not be crossed by any external forces

The U.S. government's recent announcement of large-scale arms sales to China's Taiwan region constitutes a gross interference in China's internal affairs, seriously undermining China's sovereignty and security interests as well as her territorial integrity, gravely jeopardizing peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, sending a seriously wrong signal to the separatist forces of "Taiwan independence" and external forces, and arousing strong indignation among the Chinese people.

China immediately lodged stern representations to the U.S., made clear China’s solemn position to the public, and decided to take countermeasures against twenty U.S. military-related companies and ten senior executives.

It is fully justified and legitimate for China to take actions to defend her own interests.

The U.S. has made commitments on the Taiwan question and the arms sales issues.

The Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the People's Republic of China and the United States of America in 1978 explicitly states “the Government of the United States of America acknowledges the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China” and “the United States of America recognizes the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China”.

In the joint communique issued by the two countries on August 17, 1982, the U.S. reiterated 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 does not seek to carry out a long-term policy of arms sales to Taiwan”, and “it intends gradually to reduce its sale of arms to Taiwan, leading, over a period of time, to a final resolution”.

However, the U.S. has repeatedly betrayed its commitments and continuously escalated the scale of arms sales to Taiwan.

The erroneous actions of the U.S.not only severely undermine China’s interests but will also ultimately backfire on itself. 

The U.S. must be fully aware of the grave consequences of arming Taiwan. Taiwan's restoration to China is an outcome of the WWII victory and part and parcel of the postwar international order.

Over seventy years ago, the U.S. dispatched warships to the Taiwan Strait and obstructed China’s reunification with military force, which led to the consequence that the Taiwan question remains unresolved till this day.

The U.S. owes an outstanding debt to China on the complete reunification of China. Today’s China is no longer the China seven decades ago, and the balance of strength across the Taiwan Strait has undergone a fundamental shift.

The U.S. should be clear that condoning and supporting Taiwan separatist forces with arms sales will not save them from inevitable demise and will only heighten the risks of conflict and confrontation between China and the U.S. It is not viable for the U.S. to continuously infringe upon China’s core interests while claiming to pursue cooperation with China. 

The Taiwan question is China’s internal affairs. The one-China principle is a universally recognized basic norm governing international relations, a prevailing international consensus as well as the political foundation of the diplomatic relations that China maintains with 183 countries including Kenya.

The so-called Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances were both unilaterally concocted by the U.S., to which China has been firmly opposed from the outset.

The U.S. has no rights to place its domestic law above international law, or shirk its international obligations with its domestic law as the excuse, or undermine the international order and rules.

Since 1963 when our two countries formally established diplomatic relations, Kenya has firmly adhered to the  one-China principle and handled issues related to the Taiwan question in an appropriate way.

President William Ruto paid a successful state visit to China in April. In the joint statement issued by the two countries during the visit, Kenya reaffirmed its commitment to the one-China principle and stressed that “Kenya resolutely opposes any form of ‘Taiwan independence’ and supports all efforts by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification”.

China is highly appreciative of the above stance of Kenya, believes that Kenya will continue to abide by the one-China principle with concrete actions, uphold fairness and justice, and support China’s positions on major issues concerning China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Chinese Ambassador to Kenya