G7, EU representatives summoned over letter

The Foreign Ministry has summoned diplomatic envoys from the G7 countries and the European Union in China on Thursday to lodge solemn representations over a joint statement made by foreign ministers of the group's member nations and the EU High Representative following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recent visit to China's Taiwan region.

While meeting with diplomatic envoys from the relevant European countries and the EU on Thursday, Vice-Foreign Minister Deng Li said that the G7 joint statement is a blatant political provocation and wanton interference in China's domestic affairs, and sends "seriously wrong signals" to "Taiwan independence" forces.

The G7 joint statement, released on Wednesday, accused China of escalating tensions across the Taiwan Straits.

Deng said Pelosi's visit to Taiwan is purely a political manipulation, and violates China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and China certainly will not hesitate to make a firm response.

"China's countermeasures against collusion between the US and the Taiwan region are perfectly justified," he said.

Instead of dissuading and condemning Washington's actions inciting splitting China, escalating tensions across the Taiwan Straits and using the Taiwan question to contain China, the European side even falsely stated in the statement that it follows the one-China policy 'where applicable'", Deng said.

He stressed that China is firmly opposed to the statement and strongly protests it.

The one-China principle is the political foundation for China's relations with all other countries and a "red line and bottom line that cannot be crossed", Deng said.

Also on Thursday, Deng summoned Japanese Ambassador to China Hideo Tarumi, saying the Taiwan question concerns the political foundation of Sino-Japanese relations and the basic trust between the two countries.

Japan, which colonized Taiwan for an extended period in the past, bears "inescapable, serious and historical responsibility" for the Taiwan question, and should thus be more cautious with its own words and deeds, Deng said.

He urged Japan to observe the four political documents signed between China and Japan and the commitment Tokyo has made regarding the Taiwan question, and handle Taiwan-related issues properly.

In his Thursday meeting with Jim Nickel, Canadian charge d'affaires, China's Vice-Foreign Minister Xie Feng urged the Canadian side to immediately correct its mistakes, stop participating in bloc confrontation and cease uttering erroneous words and taking wrong actions on the Taiwan question.

Otherwise, Canada will bear all the consequences, Xie said.