The message comes at a time of heightened tensions between China and the US, with the USS Mustin being sent across the Taiwan Strait yesterday in a move that has sparked angry condemnation from Beijing. The one-China principle sums up Beijing’s attitude toward the island officially known as the Republic of China, which it considers part of its territory.
Incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen is a member of the Democratic Progressive Party, and as such is committed to Taiwan to maintain its independence.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the Somali Foreign Ministry and International Cooperation, which launched a stinging attack on Taiwan yesterday, accusing it of a “reckless attempt” to ” infringing “on his sovereignty.
Mr. Zhao said there was “only one China in the world” of which Taiwan was an “immutable part”.
He further claimed that the one-China principle was a “consensus of the international community”.
In a message likely addressed to Tsai and her party, he added: “Those who go against the trend to challenge the one-China principle will be burned and the bitter fruit lost.”
Earlier this month, Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang told a news conference in Beijing: “These attempts to unite China with Taiwan interfere with China’s internal affairs and undermine peace and stability across the Strait of Taiwan.
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Speaking to Express.co.uk last month, Tobias Ellwood warned MP, chairman of the Committee of Defense Select, as a member of parliament’s China Research Group, and warned China’s policy of militarizing islands in the South -Chinese Sea in part to cut off Taiwan.
Referring to one such island, Scarborough Shoal, he declared: “Scarborough Shoal is closer to the Philippines than it is to China.
“In fact, it is probably also closer to Malaysia, so both of them could claim the right for China and yet you have continued these activities.
“This is nearly 1,000 miles off the coast of China.”
“This is one of the many islands and archipelagos that China is developing.
“The Spratly Islands, the Paracel Islands, they are all part of the maritime strategy to dominate the South China Sea.
“This will mean that Taiwan is essentially surrounded, making it very difficult for anyone to intervene.”
He also addressed the subject of the South China Sea during a meeting of the Defense Select Committee, which was also attended by Defense Secretary Ben Wallace and Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden.
Mr. Ellwood said: “It’s only a matter of time before they impose air restrictions next to the Navy that already is.
“Once they have done that it will not be Hong Kong, we consider. It will be Taiwan that is under pressure there as well.”
