US and Taiwan Independence Forces Are Playing with Fire and Will End Up Getting Burned

“Those offering a platform to ‘Taiwan independence’ forces will find themselves in an awkward place.”

At a regular press conference on Oct. 24, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian solemnly stated, “China firmly opposes the invitation by the U.S. to the Taiwan authorities to the so-called Summit for Democracy.’ Under the guise of democracy, the U.S. is providing a platform for Taiwan “independence forces” and promoting their separatist activities. It is playing the Taiwan card in a number of ways and fully displaying a Cold War mentality and the sinister scheme of using Taiwan to control China.” A note to the United States: those who play with fire over “Taiwan independence” will end up getting burned.

Democracy and human rights in the U.S. are a mess; implementing “democratic reforms” overseas is a disaster. The self-proclaimed “beacon of democracy” has already crumbled. Regardless of the facts, the U.S. is shamelessly holding the summit. It just proves that what it calls “democracy” is nothing but a means to suppress other countries and maintain its hegemony. You can get a glimpse of the political calculations of the United States from the invitation to the Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party authorities. The U.S. deliberately put the Taiwan DPP authorities together with more than 100 national delegations to expand the “international space” and provoke mainland China. For their own political interests, some people in the U.S. are double-dealing and acting sneaky, promoting “official relations” between the U.S. and Taiwan and trying in vain to use divide and conquer tactics “in an effort to play Taiwan in controlling China” and obstruct China’s reunification and rise in power. It is simply wishful thinking.

The elements of the island’s “Taiwan independence” understand America’s ruse. After the news was announced, DPP authorities were quick to express their gratitude to their “American masters,” and promptly announced who would participate. Their cooperation and collusion with the U.S. reveals that they refuse to give up their hopelessly wrong plan of “relying on the United States for independence.” Some Taiwan media commented that the DPP has been unabashedly invited to take part in the Summit for Democracy, even though it is engaged in “green terror” on the island.* As we all know, the biggest threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait currently is that the DPP authorities have stepped up their connection with external forces and their constant support for “Taiwan independence.” The DPP have repeatedly tried to “rely on the United States for independence” and cooperate with certain individuals in the U.S. in “using Taiwan to control China.” Such egregious behavior is playing with fire and those who play with fire will get burned.

China has repeatedly said the Taiwan question is the most important and sensitive issue in U.S.-China relations. The U.S. should recognize the situation, abide by its commitments and refrain from taking the dark path of sending the wrong signal to “Taiwan independence” forces. Otherwise there is definitely a great risk of destabilizing U.S.-China relations, gravely damaging peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and inevitably and seriously harming the interests of the United States itself. At the same time, we solemnly warn DPP authorities that we will have to take decisive measures against all efforts to split the country, against any provocations, persecution or even a crossing of the “the red line.” I hope they will be careful.

*Translator’s Note: In Taiwan, the pro-independence DPP and its supporters are described as the “green” camp. Pro-Beijing media uses this term as a reference to the White Terror, the period of political suppression in Taiwan beginning in 1947.