China urges the United States to stop utilizing the World Health Assembly (WHA) to create confusion on issues related to China's Taiwan region, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Thursday in response to the U.S. strong support for Taiwan's observer status at the WHA this year.
The statement by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, which "strongly encourages" the World Health Organization (WHO) to invite to Taiwan to participate as an observer at this year's WHA, seriously violates the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. Joint Communiqués. China strongly deplores and firmly opposes it, said the spokesperson in a statement posted on the official website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Noting that there is but one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, the spokesperson said China's position on the Taiwan region's participation in the activities of international organizations, including the WHO, is consistent and clear: it must be handled under the one-China principle, which is also a basic principle enshrined in United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1.
As the Democratic Progressive Party authorities in Taiwan have stubbornly stuck to the separatist position, the political foundation for Taiwan region's participation in the WHA no longer exists. The U.S. statement presents this matter in a misleading way essentially to connive at and support Taiwan separatist activities, said the spokesperson.
Stressing that the Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests and the Number One red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations, the spokesperson urged the U.S. to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. Joint Communiqués, observe international law and the basic norms governing international relations, act on the U.S. leader's commitment of not supporting "Taiwan independence," "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan," stop using the WHA to create confusion on Taiwan-related issues, and avoid sending wrong signals to Taiwan separatist forces.
Enjoying extensive support from the international community, the one-China principle is where global opinion trends and where the arc of history bends. There's no denying or stopping of that trend, said the spokesperson.
The spokesperson also warned that any attempt to play the "Taiwan card" and use Taiwan to contain China will meet firm opposition by the international community and is doomed to failure.
China urges U.S. to stop using World Health Assembly to create confusion on Taiwan-related issues
China urges U.S. to stop using World Health Assembly to create confusion on Taiwan-related issues
