Smearing by Truss shows UK hypocrisy, ministry says

Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin. (Photo/fmprc.gov.cn)

China strongly opposes the unwarranted remarks of British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on the Taiwan question, and has lodged stern representations with the United Kingdom, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Thursday.

Wang's remark came after Truss accused China of threatening peace and stability in the Taiwan region on Wednesday.

Speaking at a regular news conference, Wang said that Truss wantonly made irresponsible remarks about China's legitimate and necessary actions to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He said that the United States is the provocateur and the crisis maker with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, while the island's Democratic Progressive Party authorities seek support from the US for its "independence" agenda.

"It is the typical double standards for the UK to turn a blind eye to US' provocative acts yet accuse China over its countermeasures to uphold justice," Wang said, adding that it fully lays bare the UK's old imperialist hypocrisy.

"If the UK truly cares about the peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, it should condemn the US and the 'Taiwan independence' forces and prevent them from making provocations," he added.

"I wonder whether the UK could remain calm and restrained and allow the status quo to deteriorate if the collusion of internal and external forces and the split of the territory occurred in Scotland," Wang said.

Noting that the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair, Wang said nothing can block China's reunification.

At Thursday's news conference, Wang also deplored a recent visit by a Lithuanian government delegation to Taiwan, saying that it grossly interfered in China's internal affairs and deliberately violated China's sovereignty.

China would strongly fight back against the egregious provocations by the Lithuanian officials challenging the one-China principle, Wang said, urging them not to serve as pawns of "Taiwan independence" separatists and anti-China forces.

On Wednesday, China released a white paper on the Taiwan question and showed its strong determination and the country's resolve to achieve complete national reunification. China would leave no room for separatist activities of "Taiwan independence" in any form, the spokesman said.