Chinese Ambassador to the United States Yang Jiechi
on March 12 lodged a strong protest with the US government
over the way Washington handled the visit of Taiwanese
defense chief Tang Yiau-ming.
Acting under
orders, Yang met Under Secretary of State for Political
Affairs Mark Grossman and made serious representations about
separate meetings between Tang and US Deputy Defense
Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and Assistant Secretary of State
James Kelly in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Yang
stressed China's stance on its firm opposition to any
official contacts and military exchanges between the United
States and Taiwan.
Despite China's opposition,
the United States allowed Tang to visit the country and
arranged meetings between Tang and high-level government
officials, Yang said. The move has severely violated the
"One China" principle and runs counter to the
three Sino-US joint communiques.
The Chinese
government expresses its strong dissatisfaction and
indignation, Yang told Grossman.
The US move
will certainly encourage separatist forces in Taiwan and
poison both Sino-US relations and relations across the
Taiwan Straits, said Yang.
The ambassador
noted that the question of Taiwan has always been the core
issue of utmost importance and sensitivity in Sino-US
relations. To strictly stick to the joint communiques and
properly handle the Taiwan issue is the key to healthy and
stable Sino-US relations.
China demands the
United States recognize the seriousness of its wrong move
and correct it in real earnest. It demands Washington
immediately stop official contacts and military exchanges
with Taiwan, stick strictly to its "One China"
principle and the three joint communiques and take concrete
actions to honor its commitments to the Chinese government
and people, Yang said.
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