Beijing, June 25 (Xinhua) — China urges the United States to stop sending any wrong signal in any form to separatist forces seeking “Taiwan independence,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Tuesday.
In response to US condemnation of China’s guidelines on imposing criminal punishments on staunch separatists seeking “Taiwan independence” for carrying out or inciting secession, spokesperson Mao Ning said at a daily press conference that ” “China deplores and strongly opposes the statements made by the US side.”
Mao pointed out that the safeguarding of national unity and territorial integrity is the sacred right of every sovereign State and that it is a universal practice to punish secessionists and protect the country’s fundamental interests through criminal jurisdiction.
“No external force is at all in a position to make accusations,” he said.
Mao said the investigation into criminal responsibility for Taiwanese separatist forces’ stubborn attempts to divide the country and undermine national unity is necessary to ensure that the law is upheld and that anyone who breaks the law is brought to justice.
It is also essential to safeguard the one-China principle, as well as national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, and to uphold cross-Strait peace and stability, he added.
“The true status quo in the Taiwan Strait is that both sides of the Strait belong to one and the same China and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory,” Mao noted, adding that “Taiwan independence” is as incompatible with the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait like fire with water.
Mao said the biggest threat to cross-Strait peace is posed by separatist activities seeking “Taiwan independence” and foreign interference and disruption.
“If the US side truly wants to contribute to peace and stability in the region, it should earnestly adhere to the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués and act in accordance with its commitment not to support ‘independence of China.’ Taiwan’, stop interfering in China’s internal affairs and stop sending any wrong signal in any form to separatist forces seeking ‘Taiwan independence,'” Mao said.
