US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s sudden Taiwan visit has triggered a wide-ranging contention between China and the USA. And at the same time the international communities have been seized by new tension after the Russia-Ukraine war. The China-US relation has reached the highest level of antagonism with the recent Taipei visit by Nancy Pelosi. China has taken it very seriously and in an instant reaction, the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, ‘It was a gross violation of China’s sovereignty’.
It may be noted that Taiwan is known as the province of China and it was officially recognized by the United Nations and the United States of America. Washington was until recently maintaining the concept of “one-China” policy, which recognizes only one Chinese government-in Beijing-and has formal ties with Beijing rather than with Taipei. But it is a big surprise that US president Biden replied in the affirmative when asked whether the US would defend Taiwan militarily. Soon after, the White House quickly clarified that the US position on Taiwan had not changed and reiterated its commitment to the “one-China” policy. But the recent Taiwan visit by US House speaker is regarded as the clear violation of “one-China” policy. The peace-loving people of the world hoped that Nancy Pelosi finally would not make the provocative visit to Taipei and she would cancel the trip. But it didn’t happen. And this gesture has escalated further the global tension after Russia-Ukraine war.
“In disregard of China's solemn representations, Nancy Pelosi went ahead with her visit to China's Taiwan region,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said. Wang Yi pointed out that the one-China principle is the overwhelming consensus of the international community, the political foundation for China's relations with other countries, the core of China's core interests, and a red line and bottom line that cannot be crossed. Some people in the United States keep on challenging China's sovereignty on the Taiwan question, hollowing out the one-China policy, and even deliberately creating trouble in the Taiwan Straits. The Chinese people will never accept such a move, and the international community will also sniff at such unwarranted provocation. Yi continues that this move seriously violates the one-China principle, maliciously infringes on China's sovereignty and blatantly engages in political provocations, which has sparked strong indignation among the Chinese people and widespread opposition from the international community.
It proves once again that some US politicians have become "troublemakers" of China-US relations, and that the United States has become the "biggest destroyer" of peace across the Taiwan Straits and for regional stability, he added.
The United States should not dream of obstructing China's reunification. Taiwan is a part of China. The complete reunification of China is the trend of the times and an inevitability of history. We will leave no room for the "Taiwan
independence" forces and external interference, he said.
No matter how the United States supports or connives at the "Taiwan independence" forces, it will be all in vain. The United States will only leave more ugly records of gross meddling in other countries' internal affairs in history. The Taiwan question arose when the country was weak and chaotic at the time, and will surely end with national rejuvenation, he told.
The United States should not fantasize about undermining China's development and revitalization. China has found a correct
development path in line with its own national conditions. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, 1.4 billion Chinese people are striving towards the Chinese-style modernization, he added.
We put the development of our country and nation on the basis of our own strength, and are willing to coexist peacefully and develop together with other countries. But we will never allow any country to undermine China's stability and development, he said.
Provoking trouble on the Taiwan question in an attempt to delay China's development and undermine China's peaceful rise will be totally futile and will surely lead to total failure, he said.
The United States should not fantasize about manipulating geopolitical games. Seeking peace, stability, development and win-win cooperation are the common aspirations of regional countries, he added.
The introduction of the Taiwan question into the regional strategy by the United States, which inflates tensions and stokes confrontation, is against the trend of regional development and it goes against the expectations of the people in the
Asia-Pacific, Chinese foreign minister hopes, he further said.
The one-China principle has become a basic norm governing international relations and an integral part of the post-Second World War international order. What the United States should do is to immediately stop violating the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and stop playing the "Taiwan card" to disrupt the Asia-Pacific region.
The United States should not fantasize about distorting facts at will. The US side claimed that China is escalating the situation, but the basic facts are that the United States first provoked China on the Taiwan question and blatantly violated China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, he told.
The US side claimed that there was a precedent of the US House speaker visiting Taiwan. Yet the basic truth is that past mistakes cannot be used as an excuse to repeat them today. The US side claimed that it cannot restrain the Congress due to the separation of powers. But the basic norm of international law is that the United States must fulfil its international obligations, and key politicians should not take any wrong steps in any way, he added.
It also claimed that China's pursuit of reunification is a "threat" to Taiwan, but the basic logic is that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory and the Taiwan question is purely an internal affair of China. It is lawful and justified that China upholds territorial integrity and opposes secession.
The one-China principle is the key stabilizing force for peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, and the three China-US joint communiqués are the real "guardrails" for peaceful coexistence between China and the United States.
In the face of the great cause of national unification, the Chinese people have the gut not to be misled by fallacies, the ambition to never be intimidated or crushed, the determination to unite as one, and the ability to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and national dignity, Chinese Foreign Minister asserted.
It is noted that the World War I, also known as the Great War, began in 1914 after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. His murder catapulted into a war across Europe that lasted until 1918. The mankind can’t afford another world war as the devastating trauma of the world war 11 still causes sufferings and the adverse impact of climate change has coming to the life of the living being as a disaster. Small and one incident can be escalated to World War, and the global stake holders should take that into consideration when their policies matter with the global and as well as the regional issues. It is mentionable that the US has lost trillions of hard-earned dollars in the Iraq and Afghan war. War produces nothing but takes lives, time and money. No conflict. Conflict takes many things, but cooperation will give many things. No war, mankind want peace, a sustainable world peace.
The writer is the Editor-in-Chief of Bangladesh Post.