Chinese military spokesperson blasts US Congress members' visit to Taiwan

BEIJING - A Chinese military spokesperson on Monday said the visit of Congress members of the United States, including senator Ed Markey, to China's Taiwan region starting Sunday reveals the true face of the United States as a spoiler and saboteur of peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

The visit constitutes a blatant violation of the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, infringes on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and sends a wrong signal to the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, according to Wu Qian, spokesperson of China's Ministry of National Defense.

Wu said the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command's multi-unit joint combat readiness patrols and real-combat drills in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan island are a resolute countermeasure and solemn deterrent to the provocation of US-Taiwan collusion.

Stressing that Taiwan is China's Taiwan, and the Taiwan question allows no external interference, Wu warned the US side and Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities that "using Taiwan to contain China" is doomed to fail, and "soliciting US support to seek independence" only leads to self-destruction.

"Any attempts and activities that go against the trend of history, go against the will of all the Chinese people and seek to halt the process of China's reunification will eventually end in failure."

The Chinese PLA will continue to strengthen its training and war preparedness, resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and thwart any attempts for "Taiwan independence" and external interference, said Wu.