China’s ambassador to the UK urged London to not observe Washington’s lead on the Taiwan query
The Chinese language envoy to the UK warned that British and American interference within the Taiwan difficulty may lead to a conflict, claiming that Beijing’s ties with the UK are actually at a crossroads over the island.
Taking to the pages of the Guardian in an op-ed on Tuesday, Chinese language ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang supplied his authorities’s stance on the territorial spat whereas declaring that Taiwan had turn out to be a “touchstone difficulty” for China, the US and the UK alike.
“Over time, the US has been taking part in the ‘Taiwan card’ to comprise China by approving arms gross sales to the island, upgrading its relations with the authorities there and hollowing out the one-China precept,” the envoy wrote, referring to a coverage that daunts international states from forming diplomatic relations with Taipei, which has lengthy been self-governed.
‘Taiwan independence’ means conflict and can result in a useless finish. Opposing and defeating such makes an attempt is supposed to keep away from conflict and safeguard peace and stability within the area.
Zheng additionally urged Britain to keep away from following within the “footsteps of the US,” citing latest visits by senior American lawmakers to Taiwan, and famous that the island “has all the time been a delicate matter on the middle of relations between the UK and China.”
#China urges the #US to cease taking part in the "#Taiwan card" and to not go additional down the trail of making disaster. There isn’t any motive for the #UK to ignore that reality and observe within the footsteps of the US. Learn my article on the Guardian.https://t.co/TmUK3nAZGj pic.twitter.com/EdvLAZqa3Y
— Zheng Zeguang (@AmbZhengZeguang) August 17, 2022
The ambassador’s feedback come amid a brand new spherical of Chinese language navy drills within the air and waters round Taiwan, mirroring one other bout of workouts held instantly after a go to to Taiwan by US Home speaker Nancy Pelosi.
UK Overseas Secretary Liz Truss not too long ago denounced the drills, saying they “threaten peace and stability within the area,” echoing comparable condemnation from her American counterpart.
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Zheng likewise accused China’s rivals of disturbing regional peace by making an attempt to intervene on the Taiwan difficulty, warning of “severe penalties” if London “crosses the purple line of the Chinese language facet.”
Whereas China considers the island part of its territory, Taiwan has been ruled successfully autonomously for the reason that Chinese language Civil Battle in 1949, when the nationalist Kuomintang faction was defeated by communist forces on the mainland and was compelled to flee. The native administration has continued to consult with the island because the “Republic of China” ever since, although it has been formally acknowledged by solely a handful of international international locations.
