Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Regular Press Conference, Excerpts
August 10
The following are excerpts from Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's regular press conference on August 10 pertaining to the U.S. provocation on Taiwan.
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China Central Television: Recently, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry both said that China's decision to suspend bilateral climate talks with the U.S. doesn't punish the U.S. -- it punishes the world. What's China's comment?
Wang Wenbin: We have taken note of the relevant remarks of the U.S. side. I would like to stress the following points:
First, the measure taken by the Chinese side is part of our legitimate and reasonable countermeasures against Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. For quite some time, we have repeatedly stressed to the U.S. side that the one-China principle is the political foundation on which China develops bilateral relations with other countries. In disregard of China's strong opposition, Speaker Pelosi went ahead with the provocative visit to China's Taiwan region, which seriously violated China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. This visit took place with the U.S. government's connivance and support. The visit has undermined the political foundation of the China-U.S. relations and will inevitably cause major disruption to the exchanges and cooperation between the two sides. China had made those points perfectly clear long beforehand. We said it and we mean it. The U.S. has no reason to feel surprised.
Second, due to the egregious impact of Pelosi's visit to China's Taiwan region, China has suspended its climate talks with the U.S. All consequences arising therefrom shall be borne by the U.S. As a responsible major country, China will continue to actively participate in international and multilateral cooperation on climate change. China is a country committed to real action, not just words on global climate governance. We have made a solemn pledge to strive to [have carbon dioxide emissions reach their peak] before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. We are endeavoring to formulate and implement a "1+N" policy framework for low-carbon development and green transition. China will staunchly pursue its carbon peak and carbon neutrality targets, actively participate in main-channel negotiations on climate change, provide other developing countries with support and help as our ability permits, and make our own contributions to tackling the global climate challenge.
Third, the U.S. side should earnestly shoulder its historical responsibilities and obligations on climate change. It is our consistent belief that to address climate change, it is not enough to just chant slogans without doing one's part. Not long ago, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that it would limit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's powers to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Besides, the U.S. has been sanctioning and suppressing China's solar companies citing the so-called Xinjiang-related issues as a pretext, which has dealt a direct blow to the atmosphere of our cooperation and the climate response of China and other countries. These self-contradictory moves make the world question the U.S.'s capability and seriousness on addressing climate change. The U.S. should earnestly deliver on its historical responsibilities and due obligations on climate change and stop looking around for excuses for its inaction.
Bloomberg: About China's military drills around the island of Taiwan, can you confirm are they ongoing or have they already ended?
Wang Wenbin: As I have made clear, China's military drills in the waters surrounding our own territory are justified, legitimate and lawful. They are a warning to the provocateurs, and a punishment for the "Taiwan independence" forces. I would refer you to the Chinese military for the specific question you raised.
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China Review News: According to reports, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi questioned in an interview why her trip to Taiwan has received so much attention, while the visit of a group of U.S. Senators to Taiwan several months earlier had no impact. She also said, "We cannot allow the Chinese government to isolate Taiwan." What's China's comment?
Wang Wenbin: We have always opposed visits to Taiwan by members of the U.S. Congress. Nancy Pelosi is the third highest-ranking political figure in the U.S. She travelled to Taiwan on a U.S. military aircraft. While she was there, she repeatedly mentioned herself being there on behalf of the U.S. and described the trip as an official visit. The DPP [the rulingDemocratic Progressive Party in Taiwan] authorities touted the visit as a major breakthrough in Taiwan-U.S. relations. All these show that Pelosi's visit to Taiwan is a major political provocation that upgrades U.S.-Taiwan exchanges. This goes against the U.S.'s commitment of only maintaining unofficial relations with Taiwan in the Sino-U.S. Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations. This goes against the one-China principle, which is widely accepted by the international community and has been affirmed by UNGA Resolution 2758. This goes against the principle in international law of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, which is enshrined in the UN Charter.
Since four months ago, China has time and again made clear to the U.S. through multiple channels and at various levels our stern position of firmly opposing Pelosi's visit to the Taiwan region. However, the U.S. has chosen to pursue the wrong course of action in disregard of China's dissuasion and warnings. It is the U.S. that has gone back on its commitment, not China. It is the U.S. that has infringed on China's sovereignty, not the other way round. It is the U.S. that connives at and supports "Taiwan independence" separatist activities, not China conniving at and supporting separatist activities in the U.S. The U.S. made the provocation first, and China has been compelled to take legitimate countermeasures, which are justified, lawful, necessary and proportionate.
The U.S. has been going further down the path of fudging, hollowing out and distorting the one-China principle, and yet it accused China of changing the status quo. The U.S. conducts more than one hundred military drills in waters around China on an annual basis, and yet it accused China of overreacting. This is gangster logic. China does not accept it, nor will the international community recognize it.
China will not hesitate to fight back each time the U.S. makes a serious provocation that violates China's sovereignty and interferes in China's internal affairs. We will never allow our sovereignty and territorial integrity to be trampled and sabotaged.
If the U.S. truly hopes to adhere to international law and uphold all countries' sovereignty and territorial integrity as it claims to, it should play no games but return to the one-China principle and the three Sino-U.S. joint communiqués. The U.S. must not act recklessly, and stop going further down on the doomed path. The U.S. should give up the attempt to use Taiwan to contain China and do right things and take concrete steps to facilitate peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
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This article was published in
Volume 52 Number 6 - August 17, 2022
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2022/Articles/MS520615.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca