Question: It is reported that Taiwan’s Naval Chief recently visited the headquarters of US Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii and attended relevant events of the US military. Some sources said that this visit is part of the US efforts to implement the “Joint Island Defense Concept”. Its aim is to coordinate with the Taiwan authorities to counter China’s armed forces within the “first island chain”. Could you please comment on that?
Wu Qian: The Chinese side is firmly opposed to any form of official exchanges and military contacts between the US and China’s Taiwan region. Our position is clear-cut. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. To solve the Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair and brooks no foreign interference.
The so-called “first island chain” is a product of the Cold War geopolitics. Any attempt to block and contain China is nothing but wishful thinking. We urge the US side to truly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US Joint Communiqués, fulfill its commitment to not supporting “Taiwan independence”, and immediately stop its military collusion and official contact with Taiwan. We warn the DPP authorities that the “chess piece” in other’s power game will ultimately be abandoned; and “seeking independence by force” will get nowhere but a dead end. The PLA will take resolute actions against any form of separatist actions seeking “Taiwan independence”.