A few days ago, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, completely ignoring China’s harsh reaction and harsh warnings, visited the Chinese island of Taiwan, setting up a farce for the international community. Pelosi thought that this political “show” might turn out to be the greatest moment of her political career, but she did not know that for this farce she would receive harsh criticism from international public opinion, including the American media.

Seeking to win votes for herself and the Democratic Party in the midterms, diverting public attention from her family’s scandals, and scoring “political points” using the situation in Taiwan, Pelosi has ignored the damage she has done to China-US relations. relations and ignored peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, showing the true face of selfishness, opportunism and hypocrisy.

There is only one China in the world. Taiwan is an integral part of the territory of China, and the only legal government that can represent the entire country is the government of the People’s Republic of China. This is the essence of the One China principle, which is also a recognized fundamental principle of international relations.

As speaker of the House of Representatives, Pelosi is the third most powerful statesman in the United States and second in line for the presidency. He arrived in Taiwan on a US military plane, sending a message to the island’s separatist forces that the US was on their side. The political implications of this action are undeniable and China will never accept them!

Although the US wants to portray the visit as a “personal trip” and claims that its administrations are allegedly “severing ties” with the House of Representatives, this act is a flagrant violation of the One China principle, China’s three joint communiqués – the US and the US. a commitment to China not to develop formal relations with Taiwan, as well as a gross violation of China’s sovereignty, serious interference in our country’s internal affairs, and an attempt to undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

By allowing and arranging Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, the US is being provocative and creating crises. After the incident, in coalition with others, they opposed the legitimate and necessary countermeasures taken by China. We all know that the United States has a culture of theft without criminal consequences (zero shopping): if the value of the stolen is small, the offender is not punished. But now we also see that the US itself and some other countries are willing to use the same tactics in international relations.

Does the US really believe that it can cross the red line and openly intervene in China’s internal affairs through repeated violations and damage China’s sovereignty without bearing any responsibility? The answer of the Chinese is “impossible”! If they mistreat a great country with over 5,000 years of history and culture, does that show their arrogance and deliberately provocative attitude that puts them on the opposite side of History?

If they show no respect for the world’s second largest economy of over 1.4 billion people, doesn’t that prove that they are intentionally hurting the feelings of our people by going against the grain of the times? If they don’t have the slightest courage to recognize the international consensus on the One China principle, doesn’t that show that they are resorting to political manipulation to oppose the internationally accepted truth?

The initiators of the provocations are the separatist forces of the United States and Taiwan. Therefore, the Chinese government’s countermeasures are a natural consequence. The comprehensive measures taken by China are necessary and timely defensive countermeasures taken after careful study and evaluation in order to protect national sovereignty and security.

These countermeasures are in line with our international and domestic rules and serve as a warning against provocateurs, but at the same time are aimed at maintaining regional stability and peace in the Taiwan Strait. Any consequences are borne by the American side and the separatist forces of Taiwan.

Late last month, in a telephone conversation with President Biden, President Xi Jinping stressed that as the world faces upheavals and major changes, the international community and the people of all countries expect China and the United States to play a leading role in maintaining global peace. and security and in promoting the development and prosperity of all mankind.

This is a great responsibility that these two great powers bear. Unfortunately, in terms of our relationship with the US, we are embarrassed in the face of an increasingly divided America. This division takes place not only between the two American parties, but also within them, in the abyss between the elite and the lower classes, which does not allow the United States to reach common positions on many fundamental issues.

People can’t help but wonder: how many “Americas” are there? Who can represent the real America? It is safe to say that no one has been able to stop Pelosi’s defiant diplomatic actions, which is a manifestation of dysfunctional US policy and further contributes to the bankruptcy of her authority as a country. We can also say that the US is using the separation of powers to justify its defection on the Taiwan issue. In fact, the three powers have united to gradually destroy the foundations of the one China principle. The international community is now increasingly aware of this.

Where is the way out of tensions in the Taiwan Strait? To get out of the labyrinth, we must follow the myth of Ariadne. This “myth” is nothing but the “One China Principle” and the three joint Sino-US communiqués: the US should honestly keep its promises, stop interfering in China’s internal affairs, and approve and support Taiwan’s separatist forces. This is the only way to achieve real peace and stability in the region.

When establishing diplomatic relations with China, 181 countries of the world, including the United States, directly recognized the principle of one China as the political basis of their bilateral relations with our country. Since Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, more than 170 countries have reaffirmed their commitment to this principle. That the US insists on joining the minority means that it will end up alienating the vast majority of the rest of the nation.

* Mr. Xiao Juncheng is the Chinese Ambassador to Greece.