China urges U.S. to stop elevating relations with Taiwan in essence: FM spokesperson

BEIJING, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- China urges the United States to immediately stop elevating relations with Taiwan in essence, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Wednesday.

Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks when asked to comment on the so-called second U.S.-Taiwan Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue online as well as a planned digital economy forum and an in-person science and technology meeting in 2022.

"China deplores and strongly opposes this," Zhao said, adding that China firmly opposes all forms of official interactions in any name or form between Taiwan and countries with diplomatic ties with China.

"The United States should earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, immediately stop elevating relations with Taiwan in essence, stop any form of official interaction and contact with Taiwan and stop sending any wrong signal to 'Taiwan independence' forces," Zhao said.

"We also have this stern warning to the Taiwan authorities that any attempt and act to solicit the United States and other foreign support and sabotage cross-Strait relations is doomed to fail," Zhao added.