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One-China principle is anchor of stability for Taiwan Straits: Chinese FM
CGTN
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi makes a policy speech with Q&A at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia, July 11, 2022. /Xinhua

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi makes a policy speech with Q&A at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia, July 11, 2022. /Xinhua

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday that the one-China principle is what underpins stability across the Taiwan Straits, as he made a policy speech on adhering to open regionalism with Q&A at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia.

History and practice have repeatedly proved that when the one-China principle is fully recognized and thoroughly followed, the Taiwan Straits would remain calm and the two sides enjoy peaceful development, he said.

"However, when the one-China principle is arbitrarily challenged or even sabotaged, there would be dark clouds or even ferocious storms across the Taiwan Straits."

Wang said the current tensions across the Taiwan Straits are rooted in the fact that Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities have abandoned the 1992 Consensus that embodies the one-China principle, undermining the important foundation for the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, and going further down the wrong path of "seeking independence with foreign support."

He also pointed out that the United States is constantly distorting and hollowing out its one-China principle, trying to use the "Taiwan card" to disrupt and hinder China's development process.

Wang said the facts are evident and clear: the two sides across the Taiwan Straits belong to one and the same China, and Taiwan is a part of China's territory.

"Though there has been political antagonism between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits, China's sovereignty and territorial integrity have never been severed," he said. "This is the true status quo of the Taiwan Straits, which has not changed since ancient times and will not change."

Pointing out that the one-China principle is also the basic principle for China to establish diplomatic ties with other countries, and is part of the post-World War Two international order, Wang said it is hoped and believed that all countries would fully recognize the grave danger of "Taiwan independence" and secession, and work with China to uphold the one-China principle.

A more clear-cut attitude in upholding the one-China principle and more forceful measures to contain separatist forces lead to more possibilities for peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, and more guarantees for regional peace and prosperity, Wang said.

Noting that the United States has stressed many times recently that it would safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of every country, the Chinese foreign minister urged the U.S. not to engage in double standards, backtracking and flip-flopping on its position.

"China's sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Taiwan question should also be respected and safeguarded, which is also a test of the international credibility of the United States as a major country," said Wang.

'China, ASEAN provide confidence for global recovery'

Wang said that China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have injected valuable confidence and dynamics into global recovery.

Global economic recovery needs a new impetus for growth, he added. To echo the historical trend of the fourth technological revolution, China and ASEAN have deepened cooperation in digital and green economies with rapid progress achieved in e-commerce cooperation, benefiting the two peoples and leading East Asia to become the world's fastest-growing market of digital economy.

China is ready to work with ASEAN to jointly build the high-quality Belt and Road and promote high-level cooperation between the two sides, he said.

'China, U.S. should engage in healthy interactions in Asia-Pacific'

When asked about attempts by the United States and others to strengthen and expand their presence and influence in Asia-Pacific, Wang said that China and the United States should engage in healthy interactions.

Wang stressed that there is no greater good than for China and the United States to realize healthy interactions in the region, which will not only help increase the positive expectations for China-U.S. ties, but also meet the general expectations of regional countries.

It remains to be seen how the U.S. side will respond, said Wang, adding that this will also test whether the United States can let go of its hegemonic mentality, overcome the Cold War mentality, abandon the zero-sum logic, and truly play a constructive role in peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.

(With input from Xinhua)

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