Question: It is reported that the UK’s Foreign Secretary issued a statement on 13 January, in which he offered his congratulations to Lai Ching-te and his party and expressed the hope that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait will renew efforts to resolve differences peacefully. What is the Embassy’s comment on that ?   

Embassy spokesperson: We firmly oppose this wrong act of the UK side.

It must be pointed out that the Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair. Whatever changes take place in Taiwan, the basic fact that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China will not change; the Chinese government’s position of upholding the one-China principle and opposing “Taiwan independence” separatism, “two Chinas” and “one China, one Taiwan” will not change; and the international community’s prevailing consensus on upholding the one-China principle and long-standing and overwhelming adherence to this principle will not change.

We urge the UK side to act according to its position of acknowledging that Taiwan is a province of the People’s Republic of China, deal with Taiwan-related issues prudently in accordance with the one-China principle, and refrain from any words or actions that interfere in China’s internal affairs.