On August 10th, Amb. Hu Changchun, Head of Mission of China to the African Union, took a written interview with Ethiopian mainstream media Ethiopian Monitor, critisized U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan and clarified China's solemn position on the Taiwan question. The content of the interview is as follows:

ADDIS ABABA - China conducted military drills around Taiwan, involving ballistic missiles, dozens of fighter jets and warships, in response to a visit to Taipei by the U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week. Over 170 countries have expressed their commitment to the one-China principle and supported China’s justified action to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

China'military response was described as "overreaction," by Washington, “China has chosen to overreact and use the speaker’s visit as a pretext to increase provocative military activity in and around the Taiwan Strait Use,” said John Kirby, Spokesman of the US National Security Council last Thursday.

The Foreign ministers of Group 7 countries also called the military drill “unnecessary escalation” of the situation.

Ambassador Hu Changchun, Head of Mission of China to the African Union, downplays both responses in his interview to the Ethiopian Monitor (EM News).

Excerpts: 

EM: What has Peloci’s visit violated? 

Ambassador Hu: U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in total disregard of the firm opposition and serious representations of the Chinese side, went ahead with the visit to China’s Taiwan region. 

This reckless move is a serious violation of the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiqués, seriously infringes upon China’s sovereignty, interfered in China’s internal affairs, gravely undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and sends a seriously wrong signal to the separatist forces for “Taiwan independence”.

Pelosi’s reckless move once again bankrupts the U.S. politics, diplomacy and credibility. If the principle of non-interference is ignored and discarded, the world will return to the law of the jungle, and the United States will become even more unscrupulous in treating and bullying other countries, especially small and medium-sized countries, from a position of strength. 

We could not allow that to happen. All countries across the world should come together to oppose the erroneous actions of the U.S. in creating tension, inciting confrontation and fomenting division across the Taiwan Strait.

EM: What is your reaction to the criticism that “China has chosen to overreact” to Pelosi'visit to Taiwan?

Ambassador Hu: Some U.S. officials put the cart before the horse and reversed right and wrong, fully exposing their hypocrisy and domineering. The context and the events that led to the tensions in the Taiwan Strait are crystal clear. The U.S. is the unprovoked provocateur and creator of the crisis.

China has done everything diplomatically possible. We had repeatedly warned the U.S. through various channels of the grave nature and severe harm of this visit. Sadly, however, the U.S. turned a deaf ear to all of those and just let the visit happen.  If an American state were to secede from the U.S. and declare independence, and then some other nation provided weapons and political support for that state, would the U.S. Government — or the American people — allow this to happen? 

If China does not firmly resist the U.S.’s irresponsibility, separatists and extremists will only become more reckless and the hard-won peace and stability in this region will be seriously undermined.

The Chinese position is justified, reasonable and legal; our measures are firm, strong and measured; and our military exercises are open, transparent and professional. They are consistent with domestic and international laws, as well as international practices. They are aimed at sending a warning to the perpetrator and punishing the “Taiwan independence” forces. The Chinese Government and people have a strong and firm will to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

EM: The G7 foreign ministers and the High Representative of the EU say the actions could cause “risk unnecessary escalation”. Your assessment of this concern?

Ambassador Hu: The G7 are in no position to represent the global community, and their views only represent a tiny fraction of the world of nations. If anyone should be accused of aggression and coercion, the G7 countries deserve it more than anyone else.  The erroneous act of the G7 has outraged the Chinese people. The sovereignty and independence of China and other countries are won by the people through strenuous struggle and tremendous sacrifice. They shall never be subject to unwarranted violation anymore. 

The principle of non-interference in internal affairs is the most basic principle for maintaining world peace and stability. We should not allow the law of the jungle to re-dominate international relations. 

People with a sense of justice can easily tell right from wrong. What we have seen is that China’s just words and actions have won extensive support from the international community. Over 170 countries have spoken up for justice, condemned the visit as provocation and expressed their commitment to the one-China principle. UN Secretary-General António Guterres explicitly stressed that the UN remains committed to the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758. China will continue to work together with the international community, including African countries, to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, as well as international fairness and justice.