Some Facts About Pelosi's Visit to Taiwan(5)

Fact No. 5: It is the U.S. that initiated and planned Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.

All the ins and outs are crystal clear. Who is right and who is wrong is self-evident. The U.S. and Taiwan have colluded and provoked first, and China is only taking legitimate countermeasures for self-defense. China’s countermeasures are firm, effective, proportionate and in line with China’s domestic law, international law and customary international practice.

Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan is a serious violation of the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiqués. It endangers China’s core interests, and creates tensions, stokes confrontation and instigates division in the region. Facing the provocative behavior of the U.S., China has made serious representations multiple times. Despite China’s repeated warnings, the U.S. chose to go ahead with the visit. It is perfectly justified for China to take resolute countermeasures.

China has made utmost diplomatic efforts to avoid this crisis that is initiated by the U.S. and imposed on China. Over the past four months, the Chinese side has made clear to the U.S. side, once and again, through multiple channels and at various levels, its solemn position that China resolutely opposes the U.S. House Speaker’s visit to Taiwan. China pointed out that this provocative U.S. move would trigger a crisis and that China would not sit idly by. We urged the U.S. side to avoid any illusions and misjudgments, and warned that all the consequences arising from the visit shall be entirely borne by the U.S. side.

All the countermeasures taken by the Chinese government in response to Pelosi’s visit are what China is fully entitled to do to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. They are necessary and timely defensive countermeasures aimed at safeguarding China’s sovereignty and security, and stopping the U.S. and the “Taiwan independence” forces from going further down the wrong and dangerous path. The relevant measures are a warning to the provocateurs and an effort to safeguard peace across the Taiwan Strait and stability in the region.

China’s resolute countermeasures against Pelosi’s visit are not only a necessary move to safeguard its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also a legitimate action to safeguard the basic norms of international relations and the international order established after the Second World War. The one-China principle has been recognized by the United Nations and the vast majority of countries. It has become a widely recognized basic norm governing international relations and is part and parcel of the post-war international order. By firmly upholding the one-China principle and resolutely opposing the practice of obscuring and hollowing out the one-China principle, China is unequivocally upholding the basic principles of international law, including non-interference in internal affairs and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.

If China took no countermeasure against the U.S. actions that interfere in the internal affairs and undermine the sovereignty of another country, and failed to resolutely resist the reckless and irresponsible U.S. moves, the purposes of the UN Charter and basic norms governing international relations including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity would be reduced to empty words. Any member of the developing world that accounts for 80 percent of the world’s population may become the next target at any time. By firmly rejecting the U.S. provocations on the Taiwan question, China is saying no to the U.S. hegemony and bullying, and upholding international fairness and justice.

According to international law, all countries are obligated to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries and not to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs. Every country is entitled to take necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity and stop external interference.