China urges U.S. to stop sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatists

BEIJING, June 25 (Xinhua) -- China urges the United States to stop sending any wrong signal in any form to the separatist forces for "Taiwan independence," a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.

In response to the U.S. condemnation of China's guidelines on imposing criminal punishments on diehard "Taiwan independence" separatists for conducting or inciting secession, spokesperson Mao Ning said at a daily press briefing, "China deplores and strongly opposes the remarks made by the U.S. side."

Noting that safeguarding national unity and territorial integrity is the sacred right of every sovereign state, Mao said it is a universal practice to punish secessionists and safeguard the core interests of the country through criminal jurisdiction.

"No external force is in any position to point fingers," she said.

Mao said that the investigation on the criminal responsibility for hellbent attempts of Taiwan separatist forces to split the country and undermine national unity is necessary for making sure the law is abided by and anyone who breaks the law is brought to justice.

It is also critical for safeguarding the one-China principle and national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, and for upholding the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, she added.

"The true status quo in the Taiwan Strait is that both sides of the Strait belong to one and the same China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory," Mao said, adding that "Taiwan independence" is as incompatible with peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait as fire with water.

Mao said that the greatest threat to cross-Strait peace is "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and foreign interference and disruption.

"If the U.S. side truly hopes to contribute to peace and stability in the region, it should earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques and act on its commitment of not supporting 'Taiwan independence,' stop interfering in China's internal affairs, and stop sending any wrong signal in any form to the separatist forces for 'Taiwan independence'," Mao said.