TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China's foreign ministry on Thursday (Sept. 15) lodged "serious complaints" with the U.S. in response to the Taiwan Policy Act.
On Wednesday (Sept. 14), the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the Taiwan Policy Act of 2022, which primarily seeks to boost Taiwan's security through billions of dollars worth of additional arms and assistance and give the country "treatment equal to" that of a “Major Non-NATO Ally.” The bill is also intended to encourage Taiwan's participation in international organizations and multilateral trade agreements.
On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning (毛寧) responded to the committee's approval of the bill by complaining that it "seriously breaches the U.S.' commitment to China on the Taiwan question." Mao claimed that it violates the "one-China" principle, three China-U.S. joint communiques, and amounts to interference in China's "internal affairs."
Mao said that Beijing is firmly opposed to the legislation and has "lodged serious complaints" with the U.S. She claimed that Taiwan is an "inalienable part of China's territory" while also vowing that no force should "misestimate" the strong will of the Chinese government and people to achieve "national reunification."
She then incorrectly stated that China-U.S. relations are based on the "one-China" principle, and if the bill becomes law it will shatter the foundations of this principle and cause "extremely serious consequences." However, the U.S. "one-China" policy is ambiguous about Taiwan's status and calls on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to resolve their differences peacefully, while Beijing's "one-China" principle insists that Taiwan is a part of China.
Mao urged the U.S. to follow the "one China" principle and three joint communiques and act on its alleged commitment to not support Taiwan's independence. She called on the U.S. to "stop playing the Taiwan card" and use Taiwan to "contain China."