Scheme to contain China with Taiwan question doomed to fail: spokesperson

BEIJING, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- Attempts to solicit U.S. support for "Taiwan independence" and use the Taiwan question to contain China are doomed to fail, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday.

Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a daily news briefing when asked to comment on the report that Lai Ching-te, leader of China's Taiwan region, has finished his "stopover" in Hawaii and Guam of the United States.

The United States insisted on arranging Lai's "stopover" in Hawaii and Guam, carrying out official exchanges, helping Taiwan expand the so-called "international space," and providing a platform for "Taiwan independence" separatist activities, Lin said.

The U.S. move seriously violates the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiqués, undermines China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and sends a gravely wrong signal to the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces. China strongly deplores this and has made serious démarches to the U.S. side, he said.

"The one-China principle is the political foundation of China-U.S. relations and a basic norm in international relations. The Taiwan question is the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-U.S. relations. Cross-Strait peace and stability and 'Taiwan independence' separatist activities are irreconcilable as water and fire," Lin said.

China urges the U.S. side to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiqués, act on U.S. leaders' commitments of not supporting "Taiwan independence," stop having official interaction with the Taiwan region, stop fudging and hollowing out the one-China principle, stop condoning and supporting "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and their activities in any form, and take concrete actions to stabilize China-U.S. relations and safeguard peace across the Taiwan Strait, Lin noted.

The spokesperson stressed that soliciting U.S. support for "Taiwan independence" and using the Taiwan question to contain China are both doomed to end in failure. No one should underestimate the strong resolve, firm will and strong ability of the Chinese government and people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.