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China’s ‘two sessions’ 2023: Foreign Minister Qin Gang demands US explain ‘destruction of Taiwan’ plans
- ‘If the Taiwan question cannot be handled well, it will shake the very foundation of China-US relations,’ Qin warns
- He takes softer tone towards Taiwanese people, whom he says are family with the mainland, adding the real threat is ‘Taiwan independence’ forces
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Amber Wangin Beijing
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang has demanded the United States explain its plans for the “destruction of Taiwan”, warning that any mishandling of issues related to the self-ruled island would shake the foundation of China-US relations.
Qin, speaking on Tuesday in his first press conference as China’s foreign minister, brought with him a copy of the nation’s constitution – an unusual gesture to emphasise the country’s firm determination for reunification.
“The resolution of the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese people on our own, and no foreign country has the right to interfere,” Qin said at a media conference on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature.
“If the Taiwan question cannot be handled well, it will shake the very foundation of China-US relations.”
The remarks were an apparent response to predictions by US military officials that Beijing could invade the island in the next few years.
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