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White House rebuts China, says it opposes unilateral moves on Taiwan

ROC Central News Agency

03/08/2023 12:19 PM

Taipei, March 8 (CNA) The White House on Tuesday rebutted Chinese criticism of its approach to Taiwan, saying the United States' one-China policy had not changed and that it was opposed to any unilateral actions to change the cross-Taiwan Strait status quo.

"We seek strategic competition with China. We do not seek conflict," White House spokesman John Kirby said during a briefing to reporters.

"There's been no change to our one-China policy. We do not support independence for Taiwan," Kirby said, adding that the U.S. also doesn't want to see the status quo across the Taiwan Strait changed "unilaterally or by force."

Kirby was responding to comments by Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang (秦剛) made earlier Tuesday during his first press conference in his new role.

Qin, who previously served as Beijing's ambassador to Washington, warned that the U.S.' China policy had "entirely deviated" from the right track and that the two countries were headed for "conflict and confrontation" if the U.S. did not change its course.

Qin contended that the U.S. is seeking to "contain" China by "exploiting" the issue of Taiwan, and warned that Washington's mishandling of Taiwan policy could "shake the very foundations of China-U.S. relations."

Meanwhile, Kirby declined Wednesday to comment on reports that Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) would meet with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy while transiting through California on a planned visit to Central America.

Separately on Tuesday, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) slammed Qin's invocation of the Chinese Constitution during the press conference to assert Beijing's claims of sovereignty over Taiwan.

Responding to a question on the subject, Qin held up a copy of the constitution and quoted from its preamble: "Taiwan is part of the sacred territory of the People's Republic of China. It is the inviolable duty of all Chinese people, including our compatriots in Taiwan, to accomplish the great task of reunifying the motherland."

In a statement, the MAC, which is responsible for Taiwan's China policy, said such claims "deviate from the truth and principles for upholding international peace," and are not accepted by the Taiwanese people.

"The Republic of China [ROC, Taiwan's official name] is a sovereign country. Taiwan has never been a part of the People's Republic of China," and its status is therefore not an "internal matter" for Beijing, the MAC said.

Rather, the foundation for maintaining the cross-Taiwan Strait status quo and regional peace lies in the acknowledgment that "neither side of the Taiwan Strait belongs to the other," it said.

(By Chiang Chin-yeh, Lee Ya-wen and Matthew Mazzetta)

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