WASHINGTON – The Chinese embassy in the United States on Thursday expressed strong opposition to the ongoing visit to China's Taiwan region by six US lawmakers of both chambers of Congress.
Responding to a request from the media, the embassy's spokesperson said the visit "gravely violates the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three Sino-US Joint Communiques."
The Chinese side will continue to take strong measures to resolutely safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Spokesperson, Chinese embassy in the US
"We urge the US side to honor its commitment of adhering to the one-China policy, earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the three Sino-US Joint Communiques, immediately stop all forms of official interactions with Taiwan and avoid sending wrong signals to the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces, lest it should further undermine China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," the spokesperson said.
READ MORE: US should obey commitment of one-China principle
"The Chinese side will continue to take strong measures to resolutely safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity," the spokesperson added.
The US congressional delegation — led by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, and Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican serving as a ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee — arrived in Taiwan on Thursday.
ALSO READ: China demands cancellation of Pelosi's Taiwan visit plan
A Chinese mainland spokesperson also urged the US government to fulfill its commitment to not support "Taiwan independence" with real actions instead of saying one thing and doing another.
For some time now, the US administration and Congress have been making repeated provocations on the Taiwan question and increasingly playing the "Taiwan card," attempting to "use Taiwan to contain China" and obstruct China's complete reunification and its process of national rejuvenation, said Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.
Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authority and separatist elements advocating "Taiwan independence" ingratiated themselves with the visiting US lawmakers. "The move cannot change the fact that Taiwan is a part of China, nor can it stand in the way of the complete reunification of the motherland and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," Ma noted.