This undated file photo shows the Central Government Offices in Tamar, Central, Hong Kong. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)
HONG KONG – The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government strongly condemned and firmly opposed on Wednesday the visit of US Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan.
In a statement, an HKSAR government spokesman said Pelosi’s visit greatly threatens the peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, severely undermines China-US relations, and will lead to a very serious situation and grave consequences.
An HKSAR government spokesman said Pelosi’s visit greatly threatens the peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, severely undermines China-US relations, and will lead to a very serious situation and grave consequences
“Pelosi's visit to Taiwan constitutes gross interference in China's internal affairs, seriously undermines China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, (and) wantonly tramples on the one-China principle,” the spokesman was quoted as saying in the statement.
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The spokesman said the central government has already stated that it will respond resolutely and take all necessary measures to defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“The HKSAR government fully supports the central government in opposing the interference by external forces in the internal affairs of China, and will facilitate the implementation of countermeasures to be taken by our country against the US, thereby safeguarding our nation's sovereignty, security and development interests and upholding our national dignity," he added.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said in a separate statement that Pelosi’s visit gravely violates basic norms governing international relations.
"The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has unwavering determination in and a clear stance against any advocacy of 'Taiwan independence',” Lee said.
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He said Pelosi's visit is tantamount to encouraging "Taiwan independence" and undermines the stability in the Taiwan Straits.
"Such a move, betting on and in contempt for the well-being of more than 20 million people in Taiwan, is extremely selfish," Lee said.
The spokesperson of the Commissioner’s Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR also strongly disapproved and seriously condemned Pelosi’ visit, adding that that it seriously violated the three China-US joint communiqués and badly impacted the political foundation of China-US relations.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said in a separate statement that Pelosi’s visit gravely violates basic norms governing international relations
“We urge the US side to immediately stop playing the ‘Taiwan card’ to contain China, stop playing with fire on the Taiwan question, stop creating tension across the Taiwan Straits, and stop acting in bad faith any longer,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
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The spokesperson said the US has been supporting the separatist forces for "Taiwan independence" and provoking China on the Taiwan question.
“Time will prove that playing the ‘Taiwan card’ is not a panacea to address America’s domestic problems or a silver bullet to woo American voters. Rather, like drinking poison to quench thirst, the move will bring self-defeating consequences to the US itself,” the spokesperson said.
“Some US politicians make themselves enemies of 1.4 billion Chinese people for selfish gains and they will never come to a good end. No matter how the US uses Taiwan to curb China, it will fail anyhow in the end.”
The spokesperson pointed out that Pelosi’s visit to China’s Taiwan region as a leader of the US Congress is by no means unofficial, adding that the visit precisely reflects that the US is pursuing "strategic ambiguity" and “salami tactics” on the Taiwan question.
The spokesperson also noted that the United States has been backpedaling on its solemn commitments on the one-China policy.
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“Not only has it not stopped its arms sales to Taiwan, but also the scale and capability of the sales have increased. The US not only broke through its commitment of the US to maintain unofficial relations with Taiwan only, but greatly eased the restrictions on official exchanges between the US and Taiwan,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said the US not only helps Taiwan expand the so-called “international space”, but also helps it consolidate its so-called “diplomatic relations” with a few countries.
The United States has been backpedaling on its solemn commitments on the one-China policy, said a spokesperson of the Commissioner's office
“What the US did will only further bankrupt its national credibility and make people of all countries see more clearly that the United States is the biggest destroyer of peace today,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that China’s position on the Taiwan question is the firm commitment of the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people to resolutely safeguard state sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“The will of the people is not to be defied, and the trend of the times cannot be reversed. No country, no forces and no individual should ever underestimate the firm resolve, strong will and great capability of the Chinese government and people to defend state sovereignty and territorial integrity and to achieve national reunification and rejuvenation,” the spokesperson said.
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In a separate statement, Chief Secretary for Administration Chan Kwok-ki said the one-China policy is a widely recognized norm governing international relations and an overwhelming consensus of the international community.
“Despite its claim about upholding all countries' sovereignty and territorial integrity, the US has been backtracking on the Taiwan question,” he said.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po noted that the US is facing high inflation, severe racial discrimination and hostilities, and huge wealth inequality.
“That the United States government and politicians do not focus on dealing with their internal problems but seek to play up the Taiwan issue is an attempt to divert attention, and a heinous move to cover their acute conflicts at home,” Chan said.
Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok said that Pelosi’s visit constitutes an attempt “to obstruct the great reunification of the motherland”.
“Taiwan and the HKSAR are both inalienable parts of the People's Republic of China. We are outraged by, and condemn, Pelosi's visit to Taiwan,” he said.