By Tabora Bojang
The Chinese embassy in Banjul has convened an emergency press briefing in Bijilo yesterday to condemn what it called a “major political provocation” by the United States, following the visit of the Speaker of the US House of Representative Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, Tuesday.
She is the most senior US politician to visit Taiwan in over two decades.
Beijing has since condemned the visit and warned that the U.S would pay the price for Ms. Pelosi’s visit.
“This is a serious violation of the one-China principle and seriously infringes upon China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It gravely undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and sends a seriously wrong signal to the separatist forces for ‘Taiwan independence.’ China firmly opposes and sternly condemns this, and has made serious démarche and strong protest to the United States,” the political counsellor and deputy head of mission at the Chinese Embassy, Zhou Ningyu told journalists.
According to the Chinese diplomat, Taiwan is an “inalienable part of China’s territory” with the government of the People’s Republic of China the sole legal government representing the whole country.
He stated that since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, 181 countries, including Gambia have established diplomatic relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle.
Zhou Ningyu added that the U.S has also recognised this framework in its 1979 joint communique on the establishment of diplomatic ties with China, saying Congress, as a part of the U.S. Government, is inherently obliged to strictly observe this policy and refrain from having any official exchanges with Taiwan.
He alleged that the United States has been attempting to use Taiwan to contain China. “It constantly distorts, obscures and hollows out the one-China principle, steps up its official exchanges with Taiwan, and emboldens ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist activities. These moves, like playing with fire, are extremely dangerous. Those who play with fire will perish by it. China will definitely take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity in response to the U.S. Speaker’s visit. All the consequences arising therefrom must be borne by the U.S. side and the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces,” the deputy head of mission stated.
He said since Ms. Pelosi’s visit, China has been in constant communication with Gambia’s foreign ministry.
