Go to Taiwan Media Bank. File photoBEIJING, Sep 18 The visit of the Czech delegation to Taiwan violates China's sovereignty, according to a statement posted on the website of the Chinese Embassy in Prague.
«This move was a blatant support for the separatist forces advocating 'Taiwan independence', a serious violation of China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a serious violation of the basic norms of international relations and bilateral political obligations,» the report said.
The diplomatic mission emphasized that Beijing had already made a «serious presentation» to Prague. A delegation of 14 people led by Senator and former president of the Czech Academy of Sciences Jiří Dragos will arrive in Taiwan on September 18. It is expected that Dragos will meet with the head of the administration of the island, Tsai Ing-wen. The visit will last six days. On the eve of the trip, the head of the delegation said in an interview with the Central News Agency that the tension between Taiwan makes European political circles fear that the island will become a «second Ukraine.» According to Dragos, European countries will not necessarily supply weapons to Taipei, but they are ready to deepen ties in such areas as culture, science and other areas of soft power. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning, in turn, recalled that Beijing is against any form of official contact with Taiwan from outside. She urged Prague to adhere to the «one China principle» and not to send «wrong signals» to the separatist forces and not to undermine the political basis for the development of bilateral relations. The situation around Taiwan escalated in August after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei. In response, Beijing launched large-scale military exercises off the coast of the island, imposed sanctions on two Taiwanese foundations, Pelosi herself and her relatives, and took other measures. The Chinese Foreign Ministry placed responsibility for all the negative consequences on Washington and Taipei. The PRC does not recognize the sovereignty of Taiwan, considers it its province and categorically opposes its contacts with officials and military from other countries.
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