China lodged solemn representation with the US over media reports that said the US is “seriously considering changing the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO)’s name to the ‘Taiwan Representative Office,'” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday, slamming the move of causing serious deterioration of the China-US relationship and peace in the Taiwan Straits.
According to a Financial Times report, multiple people briefed on internal US discussions said Washington is “seriously considering” a request from the Democratic Progressive Party authority in Taiwan to change the name of its office in the US capital.
It happened on the same day when the top leaders of China and the US held a phone conversation, which brings some hopes for the recovery of the most consequential bilateral ties of the world.
Experts said it might lead to serious consequences if the US decides to do so and they warned Taiwan not to “dig a grave” for itself in making provocative actions, including raising up the annual war games of the Han Kuang exercise.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a routine press conference on Monday that “any form of official interaction between the US and the island of Taiwan and enhancement to the two parties’ substantial relationship should be ceased, including the altering of the name.”
The US should stop sending wrong signals to the island’s secessionist forces and handle the Taiwan question in a prudent manner, lest it should seriously undermine China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, Zhao warned. “The US should abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, honor its commitments with concrete actions.”
If the Biden administration finally changes “Taipei,” the conventional city name used to refer to the official institution of the island, into “Taiwan,” it will deliver a clear message that the US is juxtaposing the island and China on the same position as countries, which will further hollow out the one-China principle that China has always been upholding, Ni Feng, director of the Institute of American Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday.
“It might cause a very serious situation if it happens,” he said.
The Foreign Ministry’s response came the day when Taiwan started its five-day Han Kuang 37 live-fire exercise onMonday morning.
The exercise mainly focused on “simulating a Chinese attack” and deployed Navy warships to “prevent attacks on military bases,” reported Taiwan News.
Military analysts said the Han Kuang exercise, which has been staged for many years, is more of a political show and show the real poor combat capacity of Taiwan’s “armed forces.” The exercise against the People’s Liberation Army will lead to nothing but a destruction of peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits and a “grave” for the Taiwan authorities.
Ni said the Tsai Ing-wen authority is moving step by step toward the direction in line with the US’ China policy. But it is still clear what the island will face if the Tsai authority blows it up. Therefore, it is just making minor steps, like “cutting a sausage.”
Zhao stressed at the Monday press conference that the Taiwan question is the most important and sensitive core question in the China-US relations, to which is the one-China principle is the foundation.
Zhao pointed out that in the communiqué announcing the establishment of diplomatic relations between the US and China, the US made a clear commitment that Americans would maintain cultural, commercial and other unofficial relations with the people on the island of Taiwan.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian
