On 2 August, in disregard of China’s strong opposition and serious representations, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited China’s Taiwan region, single-handedly provoked and created current tensions across the Taiwan Strait. It has come to our attention that certain individuals and forces in Sweden have reversed black and white, confused right and wrong, and made groundless accusation against China's reasonable and legitimate measures to safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity. In order to help the Swedish people to objectively and correctly understand the current situation across the Taiwan Strait, the Chinese Embassy hereby expounds its stance on Pelosi’s visit as follows.

1. Pelosi's visit to Taiwan is a blatant violation of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and basic norms governing international relations including the one-China principle, non-interference in other countries' internal affairs and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

There is but one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. This has been clearly recognized by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 of 1971. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, 181 countries have established diplomatic relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle. The one-China principle is a universal consensus of the international community and a basic norm in international relations. In 1979, the United States made a clear commitment in the China-U.S. Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations - “The United States of America recognizes the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China. Within this context, the people of the United States will maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan.”

Congress, as a part of the U.S. Government, is inherently obliged to strictly observe the one-China policy of the U.S. Government, abide by the basic norms of international law, fulfill its international obligations and refrain from having any official exchanges with China’s Taiwan region. Since Speaker Pelosi is the incumbent leader of the U.S. Congress, her visit to and activities in Taiwan, in whatever form and for whatever reason, is a major political provocation to upgrade U.S. official exchanges with Taiwan, a serious violation of the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiqués, and seriously infringes upon China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

2. The causes of the tensions in the Taiwan Strait are very clear, so are the merits. It is orchestrated and provoked entirely by the U.S. side by whom must all the consequences arising therefrom must be borne.

The Taiwan Strait is facing a new round of tensions and severe challenges, and the fundamental cause is the repeated moves by the Taiwan authorities and the United States to change the status quo. The Taiwan authorities have kept seeking U.S. support for their independence agenda. They refuse to recognize the 1992 Consensus, go all out to push forward “de-sinicization”, and promote “incremental independence”. The United States, for its part, 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. Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan is nothing but a political gamble that adds fuel to the flames. Many openly pointed out that the visit was a completely unnecessary, egregious provocation and could trigger a serious crisis.  

The U.S. side claimed that China is escalating the situation, but the basic facts are that the United States first provoked China on the Taiwan question and blatantly violated China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The U.S. side claimed that there was a precedent of the U.S. House speaker visiting Taiwan. Yet the basic truth is that past mistakes cannot be used as an excuse to repeat them today. The U.S. side claimed that it cannot restrain the Congress due to the separation of powers. But the basic norm of international law is that the United States must fulfill its international obligations, and key politicians should not misbehave. It also claimed that China's pursuit of reunification is a "threat" to Taiwan, but the basic logic is that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory and the Taiwan question is purely an internal affair of China. The U.S. side also claimed that China is responsible for the current situation, but the basic common sense is that the perpetrators and initiators should bear full responsibility.

3. Democracy has been reduced to nothing more than a cheap tool and a pretext constantly used by the U.S.

Pelosi’s visit is not about democracy, but China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. What she has done is definitely not about upholding or defending democracy, but a provocation and infringement on China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. While Pelosi is the one staging this grandstanding act, it is the China-US relationship and the peace and stability in the region that are taking the toll. 

Being the number three figure in the US government, Pelosi has been spending taxpayer money and flying to Taiwan on US military aircraft to pull a political stunt, while problems with US democracy keep piling up. Her behavior of violating the international law and basic norm in international relations and jeopardizing other countries’ internal affairs, sovereignty and territorial integrity would only open up people’s eyes about the hypocrisy and ugliness of the US and further bankrupt the US’s credibility as a country.

4. It is legitimate, lawful and justified that China upholds territorial integrity and opposes secession. The comprehensive measures taken by China are consistent with international and domestic laws. They are a warning to the provocateurs and a safeguard for regional stability and peace across the Taiwan Strait, and gained extensive support from the international community.

The Chinese side has made maximum diplomatic efforts to avoid this crisis which is imposed on China. We had repeatedly warned the US through various channels of the grave nature and severe harm of this visit. We made it clear that China will not sit by and watch; we will not allow any room for “Taiwan independence” separatist forces.

China has acted in legitimate self-defense only after the US made this egregious provocation. Our countermeasures are necessary as a warning to the provocateurs and as a step to uphold our sovereignty and security. If relevant countries truly care about regional peace and stability, why hadn’t they stood up and tried to dissuade Pelosi early on? Couldn’t they have seen this coming and prevented it? On such an issue concerning China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, China’s countermeasures are justified, necessary and proportionate, and there is nothing excessive about them.

China’s measures are also about staunchly safeguarding regional peace and stability and international law and basic norms in international relations. If China does not firmly resist such hysterical, irresponsible and irrational actions of the United States, the principle of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity in international relations will be nothing more than a piece of paper; various separatists and extremist forces will get even more emboldened; and the hard-won peace and stability of the region will be seriously jeopardized. And the vast developing world which account for over 80% of the world’s population could well become the next target anytime. For this exact reason, already more than 160 countries have made their voice of justice heard. They reiterated their commitment to the one-China policy and expressed support for China’s efforts to firmly uphold its sovereignty and territorial integrity. This is a fight against hegemony, against interference and against secession.

5. In the face of the great cause of national reunification, the Chinese people have the gut not to be misled by fallacies or scared by evils, the ambition to never be intimidated or crushed, the determination to unite as one, and the ability to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and national dignity. The sovereignty and independence of China and other countries are won by the people through strenuous struggle and tremendous sacrifice. They shall never be subject to unwarranted violation anymore.

Sweden was the first western country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. The one-China principle is the political foundation of China-Sweden relations. China urges the Swedish side to uphold the correct position on Taiwan-related issues, hear and respect the voice of the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people, and also the voice of the people from the countries accounting for close to 90% of the world’s population, honor the political commitment, clearly recognize the causes and essence of the current crisis, jointly oppose the U.S.’ adventurism and provocations, continue to support China's legitimate position and measures, and build favorable conditions for the development of China-Sweden relations.