China’s top official responsible for Taiwan affairs has reiterated the ‘one country, two systems’ principle for both Hong Kong and Taiwan, but warned that ‘we will never allow anyone’ to separate Taiwan from China.
Liu Jieyi, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks on Monday in a speech delivered via video link to an international seminar on Hong Kong and Taiwan held in Beijing.
Liu said that ‘one country, two systems’ is the ‘best solution’ for resolving the Taiwan question, and that it is in the fundamental interests of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
‘We will adhere to the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, and resolutely oppose any separatist acts or external interference,’ Liu said.
Liu also stressed that China will ‘never allow anyone’ to separate Taiwan from China, and that it will ‘take all necessary measures’ to protect its national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
‘We will not allow any external forces to interfere in the internal affairs of China, and we will not allow anyone to use Taiwan as a pawn to undermine China’s development,’ Liu said.
Liu’s remarks come amid heightened tensions between China and Taiwan, following the recent visit to Taiwan by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, which Beijing strongly condemned.
China has also been conducting military exercises around Taiwan in response to Pelosi’s visit, which has raised fears of a potential military conflict between the two sides.
In his speech, Liu also addressed the situation in Hong Kong, saying that ‘one country, two systems’ has been ‘successfully implemented’ in the city since its return to China in 1997.
‘Hong Kong has maintained its unique identity and competitive advantages, and its people enjoy a high degree of autonomy,’ Liu said.
However, Liu also warned against ‘external forces’ seeking to ‘undermine’ Hong Kong’s stability and prosperity, and said that China will ‘resolutely safeguard’ the city’s sovereignty and security.
‘We will not allow anyone to use Hong Kong as a base for subversion, infiltration, or sabotage activities against China,’ Liu said.
Liu’s remarks come as Hong Kong continues to grapple with the aftermath of the 2019 pro-democracy protests, which led to the imposition of a sweeping national security law by Beijing.
The national security law has been used to crack down on dissent in Hong Kong, and has raised concerns about the city’s future under ‘one country, two systems.’.
