The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not mince words when it warned the Philippines of consequences following the reported visit of Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung to Manila this week.
'There is a price to pay': China protests alleged Taiwan foreign minister's visit to PH
(Photo from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China)
In a statement, the spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that it has lodged “serious protests” in both Manila and Beijing.
The statement also alleged that the Philippines provided a “platform” for the “Taiwan independence separatists to engage in anti-China activities” and violated the One-China Policy when it allowed Lin’s visit.
“Over the past weeks and months, the Philippines has taken a series of wrong and provocative moves on Taiwan-related issues, and kept fudging and hollowing out the one-China principle and hurting China-Philippines ties,” the spokesperson said.
“There is a price to pay for trampling on China’s red line, and all consequences arising therefrom will be borne by the Philippines.”
In a separate statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) neither confirmed or denied Lin’s reported visit with a delegation of Taiwanese and American businessmen.
Rather, it said that “no official from Taiwan is recognized as a member of the business delegation that recently visited the Philippines” and that this is consistent with the One-China Policy.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, however, stressed that this move reflects “the serious lack of credibility of the Philippine government,” reiterating that Taiwan remains an “inalienable part” of China’s territory.
“The Taiwan question is China’s internal affair,” the statement said.
“China urges the Philippines to abide by the one-China principle and the joint communiqué on establishing diplomatic ties between China and the Philippines, stop pursuing the wrong course and return to the right track at once, stop playing with fire on issues concerning China’s core interests, and stop sending any wrong signals to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces,” it added.
China regards Taiwan as a renegade province, vowing to eventually unify with the self-ruled island.