Question: The United States has recently announced a large-scale arms sale to China’s Taiwan region. China subsequently announced countermeasures against 20 U.S. military-related companies and 10 senior executives, and the Chinese military conducted exercises in the vicinity of the Taiwan Island. What is the Embassy’s comment?

Embassy Spokesperson: The U.S. sale of arms to China’s Taiwan region is a grave violation of the one-China principle and the Three China-U.S. Joint Communiqués. It seriously infringes upon China’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, severely undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and sends a gravely wrong signal to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces and external interference forces. China expresses strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this.

China’s actions constitute a severe punishment against “Taiwan independence” separatist forces who seek independence through military means, and are necessary measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. They also serve as a stern warning to external interference forces. These actions are fully justified, legitimate and reasonable.

For some time now, the Lai Ching-te authorities in Taiwan have stubbornly adhered to a “Taiwan independence” stance and employed every possible means to split the country. Against the backdrop of the international community’s firm adherence to the one-China principle, the Taiwan authorities have, under the pretext of economic, trade and cultural exchanges, vigorously promoted “Taiwan independence” ideology, lobbied foreign officials and parliamentarians to visit Taiwan, and attempted to induce other countries to support Taiwan’s participation in international organizations that only sovereign states are eligible to join. Their real purpose is to advance “incremental Taiwan independence” and to have other countries endorse and provide backing for separatist agendas.

The Taiwan authorities deliberately portray themselves as a “threatened party” to deceive others into providing military and technological support, with the intention of destabilizing the situation across the Taiwan Strait and dragging other countries into the situation. Their sinister motives are all too clear. Attempts by “Taiwan independence” separatist forces to seek independence through force or to resist reunification through force will not change the doomed outcome of “Taiwan independence,” but will only accelerate the push of the Taiwan Strait toward a dangerous situation of conflict and confrontation. Military cooperation with Taiwan constitutes the most blatant interference in China’s internal affairs and an obstruction to China’s reunification process. Arming Taiwan to aid independence will only backfire, lead to substantive involvement in the Taiwan Strait situation, and inevitably be met with a forceful response from China. No country or force shall ever underestimate the resolve, will and ability of the Chinese government and people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

China and the United States share extensive common interests and broad prospects for cooperation, and can be partners that achieve mutual success and common prosperity. Confrontation over the Taiwan question does not serve U.S. interests. Recent U.S. polls show that more than half of the American public oppose military intervention in the Taiwan Strait, and over 60 percent prioritize avoiding conflict in China-U.S. relations. The U.S. government should seriously heed these voices, strictly abide by the one-China principle and the Three China-U.S. Joint Communiqués, honor the solemn commitments made by U.S. leaders, immediately stop the dangerous practice of arming Taiwan, avoid further damage to China-U.S. relations, and work with China to safeguard overall stability of bilateral relations as well as world peace and stability.

The Jewish nation has experienced a long history of diaspora and deeply understands the pain of a people being displaced and a civilization being disrupted. Over the passage of time, such experiences have given rise to profound wisdom. Shortly after its founding, Israel decided in 1950 to recognize the newly established People’s Republic of China. In October 1971, the 26th session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758, which made clear that there is but one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China. Although Israel had not yet established diplomatic relations with China at that time, it upheld the correct side of history by voting in favor of the resolution. In 1992, China and Israel established diplomatic relations. The Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations explicitly states that “the Government of the State of Israel recognizes that the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China and Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the People’s Republic of China.” We believe that our Israeli friends are able to distinguish right from wrong, see the prevailing trend of history, understand China’s pain of not yet achieving reunification and its firm resolve never to allow national division, remain vigilant against and firmly oppose any form of “Taiwan independence,” avoid being misled or exploited by those with ulterior motives, and steadfastly support the Chinese government in realizing national reunification.