Zhu Fenglian Photo: Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council

In response to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's statement asserting full US support for Guatemala in expanding relations with Taiwan, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, urged the US to abide by the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiqués on Wednesday. Zhu called on the US to handle Taiwan-related questions with utmost caution and to stop sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" forces.

Zhu emphasized that the one-China principle is a fundamental norm of international relations and a widely accepted consensus within the international community. It reflects global sentiment and aligns with the prevailing trend.

"To date, 183 countries have established diplomatic relations with China based on their adherence to the one-China principle," Zhu noted. "We hope relevant countries will recognize this broader trend and choose to stand on the right side of history."

The spokesperson further stressed that the Taiwan question is purely an internal matter for China and does not permit external interference.

"We urge the US to honor the one-China principle, adhere to the provisions of the three China-US joint communiqués, and handle Taiwan-related questions with the utmost caution. The US must stop sending any wrong signals to 'Taiwan independence' forces," Zhu said.

Zhu also issued a stern warning to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities, asserting that "Taiwan independence" is a dead-end. "Any attempt to rely on the US to seek independence is doomed to fail," the spokesperson concluded.

Commenting on Taiwan's participation in World Health Organization (WHO) activities, Zhu reiterated on Wednesday that China's position remains consistent and clear: this matter must be handled in accordance with the one-China principle.

On February 9, the US Bureau of International Organization Affairs said "Taiwan's exclusion from key international fora, including the World Health Assembly (WHA), has a direct negative impact on the well-being of Americans and the entire global community. There is no reasonable justification to exclude Taiwan's participation," according to a post on X platform. 

The one-China principle is the fundamental framework for addressing Taiwan-related questions, as affirmed by UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 and World Health Assembly Resolution 25.1, Zhu said.

Zhu pointed out that the DPP authorities persist in their "Taiwan independence" separatist stance and refuse to recognize the "1992 Consensus," which embodies the one-China principle. As a result, the political foundation for Taiwan's participation in the WHA has been entirely undermined. This outcome, Zhu emphasized, has been brought about solely by the DPP authorities.

The Taiwan question is an internal matter for China, and external interference will not be tolerated. Zhu urged the US to cease using the WHA to politicize the Taiwan question. The US must adhere to the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiqués through concrete actions, she added.