Ambassador He Xiangdong was interviewed live on RTÉ regarding US House Speaker’s visit to Taiwan
2022-08-03 21:22

On 3rd August, Ambassador He Xiangdong was interviewed live with Morning Ireland, RTÉ Radio 1, and stated China's solemn position regarding US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. The transcript is as follows:


Presenter: The Chinese Government said in a statement last night referring to the visit by Nancy Pelosi that US's actions in Taiwan were extremely dangerous, like playing with fire. “Those who play with fire will perish by it.” What does that mean?

Ambassador He: Pelosi's visit to China's Taiwan region is a reckless and provocative move. It's a major event upgrading the substantive relations between the US and Taiwan, and sends a very wrong signal to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces. 


Presenter: But you have responded with threats. You are saying "Those who play with fire will perish by it".  So what are you saying to the US?

Ambassador He: China has every right to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. And we are fully justified to do what we must. The current situation is created purely by the US side and separatist forces in Taiwan. So of course they have to bear the responsibility and consequences.


Presenter: China has announced it will carry out a live-fire military exercises for three days off the coast of Taiwan from tomorrow. That is a war gaming and it's a very definition of provocation, isn't it?

Ambassador He: As I just said, the provocation is not from China, but from separatist forces in Taiwan and some US politicians. The PLA, or the Chinese military forces, is taking and will take a series of targeted military operations in response.


Presenter: Taiwan says these military exercises break international law, and it says it will firmly defend its security and pound any move that violates its territorial sovereignty. So these are very risky exercises, aren't they?

Ambassdor He: Taiwan is part of China, and the Taiwan question is one that is left over from China's civil war of the late 1940s. Solving the Taiwan question and achieving national reunificationis is China's internal affairs. The Taiwan question is not an international question, it's a domestic internal question.


Presenter: There are many Taiwanese people consider them to be independent of China and seperate from China. And the visit by Nancy Pelosi has been widely welcome by those people on the island.

Ambassaodr He: Definitely there are some people who welcome her visit to Taiwan, while at the same time many people in Taiwan are against such a kind of visit.


Presenter: Nancy Pelosi has been speaking at the press conference a short time ago. She said the US did not want anything to happen to Taiwan by force. Isn't it the case by carrying out military exercises off the coast of Taiwan from tomorrow for the next three days that is sending a clear signal to Taiwan that China is preparing to use force to take the island if necessary?

Ambassador He: We will do our outmost with maximum sincerity to achieve a peaceful unification. We strive for peaceful reunification with Taiwan, while we are also determined to safeguard our sovereignty and territorial integrity. We will not sit idly and will have to make legitimate and necessary responses and in event of employing any non-peaceful means and other necessary measures, we will exert our upmost to protect the lives, property and all other legitimate rights and interests of the Taiwanese people because they are Chinese people.


Presenter: You say you would like to have it peacefully, will that  be directly contradicted by the prococative act of carrying out live-fire military exercises close to Taiwan?

Ambassador He: Just as an ordinary policeman in the street without the necessary means of forces will be a useless one.


Presenter: Do you accept that the US has for decades maintained cultural and economic links with Taiwan, and this visit by Nancy Pelosi is keeping with that policy, it doesn't contravene the US policy, that is, US's recognition of one China policy?

Ambassador He: Absolutely Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan is totally against the US Government's commitment in the three China-U.S. Joint communiqués especially the Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with China. "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. "Such a kind of visit definitely has nothing to do with“cultural, commercial, or unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan".


Presenter: So are there lasting consequences for Taiwan and for the US arising from this visit?

Ambassador He: Definitely for such a kind of reckless and provocative actions, there will be consequences.


Presenter: What are the consequences?

Ambassador He: You can watch the announcement from the Chinese Government and from the Chinese Ministry of Denfence. I am not in the position to talk about what will happen in the near future or in the long run. Definitely there will be consequences.


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