New Delhi: Chinese ambassador to the United Kingdom, Zheng Zeguang Tuesday, urged the British politicians not to dance to the tune of the United States. Zeguang also reminded the British government of the joint communique the two countries signed in 1972, when they began to exchange ambassadors.
Zheng’s comment came as the US House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, began her controversial visit to Taiwan, over which Beijing claims sovereignty. Pelosi said her visit was to show solidarity with the vibrant Asian democracy, but in response, Beijing issued several warnings and threats.
Zheng added that “It is interference in China’s internal affairs that will inevitably lead to severe consequences in China-UK relations. We call on the UK side to abide by its commitment and not to underestimate the extreme sensitivity of the Taiwan issue, and not follow in the US’s footsteps.
Tensions between China and several western nations – including the UK – over Taiwan have been on the rise in recent years. The Chinese envoy said some British politicians’ pledges to help “defend Taiwan” and parliamentarians’ plans visit to the island would both constitute a “serious violation of the one-China principle and the Sino-UK joint communique. As I said, those who play with fire will get burnt,”
The Defense Ministry of China on Tuesday said, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had been put on “high alert” and announced a series of targeted military operations, including missile tests in the waters east of Taiwan and drills encircling the main island for four days, shortly after Pelosi leaves this week.
However, The British Media reported on Monday that Britain’s House of Commons foreign affairs committee is planning a visit to Taiwan later this year – probably in November or early December.
(Vinayak)