As the members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands recently put forward a series of negative motions relating to China, involving sensitive issues concerning Taiwan, Xinjiang, and Xizang, which bear on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands responded on Friday night that the relevant motions in the Dutch Parliament constitute a gross interference in China's internal affairs and point fingers at China's development, which disregard facts and truth on issues related to Taiwan, Xinjiang, and Xizang, maliciously attack and smear China, and openly support anti-China separatist forces. 

"We are strongly dissatisfied with and firmly oppose to these actions," the embassy said in a statement published on its official WeChat account. 

According to the statement, the spokesperson said that the Taiwan question is at the very core of China's interests and a red line that must not be crossed. The one-China principle is a universally recognized norm of international relations and the political bedrock of China-Netherlands relations. 

"We urge the Dutch side to fully understand the high sensitivity of the Taiwan question, recognize that the real threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits comes from separatist activities by "Taiwan independence" forces and the support from external forces, and strictly adhere to the one-China principle," the spokesperson said.

Xinjiang has long been an inalienable part of China's territory and never been called "East Turkestan" in the Chinese history. In fact, there has never been a state known as "East Turkestan." Xinjiang today enjoys social stability and economic growth and the people there live a happy life. It is enjoying development progress like never before. The claim of "forced labor" and "genocide" in Xinjiang is totally groundless and constitute nothing but a flat-out lie of the century. The Dutch side shall stop such attempts at once, stop using Xinjiang-related issues to interfere in China's internal affairs and harm China's interests, and stop propagating lies about Xinjiang, the spokesperson said. 

The 14th Dalai Lama is a political exile engaged in separatist activities under the guise of religion. He has absolutely no right to represent the people in Xizang. The reincarnation of Living Buddhas is unique to Tibetan Buddhism. It follows established religious rituals and historical conventions.The reincarnation of Living Buddhas including the Dalai Lama must comply with Chinese laws and regulations as well as religious rituals and historical conventions, and follow the process that consists of search and identification in China, lot-drawing from a golden urn, and central government approval, the spokesperson noted.

We hope the Dutch side could bear in mind the overall interests of China-Netherlands relations, correct its erroneous statements and actions regarding Taiwan, Xinjiang, Xizang, and other related matters, and play a positive role in promoting our cooperation in various fields and the sound development of bilateral relations, said the spokesperson.

Global Times