Taiwan must return to motherland -By Chu Maoming

The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army on Wednesday, August 3, organised joint combat training exercises in the northern, southwestern and southeastern waters and airspace off the Taiwan Island. The exercises involved troops from the Navy, Air Force, Rocket Force, Strategic Support Force and Logistic Support Force under the Eastern Theater Command. The exercises focused on key training sessions, including joint blockade, sea target assault, strike on ground targets, and airspace control operation, and the joint combat capabilities of the troops were tested in the military operations.

The exercises are part of a series of counter-measures that are resolute, strong, and effective, taken by China against the visit to China’s Taiwan region by Speaker of the United States. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi.

As is known to all, ‘there is but one China in the world,’ Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. This has been clearly recognised by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 of 1971. Since the founding of the PRC in 1949, 181 countries have established diplomatic relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle. The one-China principle is a universal consensus of the international community and a basic norm in international relations.

In 1979, the US made a clear commitment in the China-US Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations. America recognises the PRC as the sole legal government of China. Within this context, the people of the US will maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations with Taiwan. The US Congress, as a part of the government, is inherently obliged to strictly observe the one-China policy and refrain from having any official exchanges with Taiwan. China is all along opposed to the visit to Taiwan by US congressional members, and the US executive branch has the responsibility to stop such visit. Since Speaker Pelosi is the incumbent leader of the Congress, her visit to and activities in Taiwan, in whatever form and for whatever reason, is a major political provocation to upgrade official exchanges with Taiwan. China absolutely does not accept this, and the Chinese people absolutely reject this.

The Taiwan question is the most important and most sensitive issue at the heart of China-US relations. The Taiwan Strait is facing a new round of tensions and severe challenges, and the fundamental cause is the repeated moves by the Taiwan authorities and the United States to change the status quo. The Taiwan authorities have kept seeking US support for their separation agenda. They refuse to recognise the 1992 Consensus, go all out to push forward “de-sinicisation,” and promote “incremental separation.” The US, for its part, has been attempting to use Taiwan to contain China. It constantly distorts, obscures and hollows out the one-China principle, steps up its official exchanges with Taiwan, and emboldens separatists’ activities. These moves, like playing with fire, are extremely dangerous.

The position of the Chinese government on the Taiwan question has been consistent. It is the firm commitment of the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people to resolutely safeguard state sovereignty and territorial integrity. It is the common aspiration and sacred responsibility of all Chinese sons and daughters to realise the complete reunification of the motherland. The will of the people is not to be defied, and the trend of the times cannot be reversed. No country, no forces and no individual should ever mis-estimate the firm resolve, strong will and great capability of the Chinese government and people to defend state sovereignty and territorial integrity and to achieve national reunification and rejuvenation. China will definitely take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity in response to the US Speaker’s visit. We will leave no room for the Taiwan separatist forces and external interference.

All the consequences arising therefrom must be borne by the US side and the Taiwan separatist forces. No matter how the US supports or connives with the Taiwan separatist forces, it will be all in vain. The US will only leave more ugly records of gross meddling in other countries’ internal affairs in history.

The Taiwan question arose when the motherland was weak and chaotic at the time, and will surely end with national rejuvenation.

• Maoming is China’s Consul General in Lagos.