China firmly opposes U.S. congressmen's visit to Taiwan: spokesperson

BEIJING, April 15 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese defense spokesperson on Friday slammed the visit to Taiwan by some members of the U.S. Congress.

The visit is a deliberate provocation that seriously violates the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, said Wu Qian, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense.

It is extremely hypocritical and untrustworthy for the United States to pledge not to support "Taiwan independence" on one hand and send a seriously wrong signal to the secessionist forces on the other hand, Wu said.

China firmly opposes this and has lodged solemn representations with the U.S. side, Wu noted.

The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has conducted a combined combat-readiness patrol and carried out targeted training exercises in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island, according to Wu.

The PLA has been in full combat readiness and will take all measures necessary to resolutely defeat the interference of external forces and thwart the secessionist attempts at "Taiwan independence", Wu stressed.