China urges US to stick to one China policy

BEIJING - A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday urged the United States to honor its commitment to the one China policy, the principle of the three joint communiques, and to oppose "Taiwan independence."

An Fengshan of the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office made the remarks at a press conference when he was asked to comment on the meeting between Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen and James Moriarty, new chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan.

In their meeting, Tsai expressed the hope that the United States can support Taiwan's participation in international affairs. Moriarty said the United States and Taiwan have developed solid cooperation in various fields in recent years, and the United States is willing to see Taiwan play a bigger role in the region.

The mainland has made clear its attitude toward Taiwan's participation in international activities, said An, adding that the Taiwan issue has been one of the most important and sensitive issues in Sino-US relations.

In response to earlier news about Taiwan's plans to set up early warning radar on Taiping Island in the South China Sea and the possibility of sharing information with the United States, An said the mainland has reiterated its stance on the South China Sea issue many times and warned that Taiwan's confrontation against the mainland by relying on foreign forces will be harmful for both sides.

"We hope Taiwan will abandon the mindset of seeking independence and confrontation and stick to the 1992 Consensus, making joint efforts with the mainland to promote peace and stability and benefit the peoples across the Strait," said An.