US 'marginalizing' one-China principle

Attempts by the United States to marginalize the one-China principle and use the Taiwan question to contain China are nothing but pipe dreams, a spokesman for the Chinese military said.

Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, said on Thursday in Beijing that the conflicting statements recently made by the US State Department have clearly displayed the intentions of the US.

"The US has been continuously marginalizing and diminishing the one-China principle. It wants to use the 'salami-slicing tactic' to play the 'Taiwan card' to contain China and that is a complete illusion," Wu said.

"We want to make it clear to some people in the US that their hands will also be chopped off when they play the 'salami-slicing tactic' in dealing with the Taiwan question. The People's Liberation Army is ready to take all necessary measures to crush any form of 'Taiwan independence' moves and to safeguard our national sovereignty and territorial integrity."

The spokesman refuted claims by senior US military officers that China is a "bully and rule breaker" in the international community, stressing that when it comes to bullying in international relations, it is the US that is the initiator and master of bullying tactics.

"We request that the US stops disguising its own rules as international norms and promoting the US-style, hegemony-based order. It must accept China's peaceful development with a rational, objective perspective, which is in the interest of Sino-US relations and the world's peace and stability," Wu said.

Speaking about Japan's recent moves regarding Taiwan, the spokesman said that Japan is in no position to make wanton comments on the Taiwan question.

"The Taiwan question is part of China's internal affairs and China brooks no interference from Japan on this matter. As everyone knows, Japan invaded Taiwan and then colonized the island for 50 years. It committed numerous crimes that were beyond description. That country is absolutely in no position to make any remark on the Taiwan question," Wu said.

Japanese media had recently reported that the draft of Japan's defense white paper for 2022 stated that "stability in the Taiwan Straits is crucial to Japan's security" and Japan will continue to monitor the situation.

Wu noted that Japan's military affairs are a major concern to the international community because of its history and the current situation.

"We urge Japan to draw lessons from its history, reflect on its war crimes and use concrete moves to gain trust from its Asian neighbors," the spokesman said.

Responding to a request for comment on Japan's close surveillance of China's CNS Liaoning aircraft carrier, Wu said it is clear that Japan wants to play up issues related to the Chinese carrier to create excuses for its military expansion, to which China is strongly opposed.

The spokesman said the moves by the Japanese aircraft and ships were very dangerous and were prone to misjudgments or even accidents.