Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities have showed no hesitation in betraying people's interests by pandering to the rhetoric of the United States with a report slandering the Mainland's assertion that there is no "international waters" in the Taiwan Strait, said a Mainland spokesman on Wednesday.
Chen Binhua, spokesman of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, responded to a recent "report" commissioned by Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, which claimed that the Mainland's assertion that the Taiwan Strait is not international waters is intended to "mislead the public" and oppose "U.S. freedom of navigation. "
Reiterating China's sovereignty over both sides of the Taiwan Strait, Chen said there are no so-called "international waters" in the Strait.
"China has sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the Taiwan Strait. According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and China's domestic law, the waters of the Taiwan Strait are divided into internal waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone, and there are no so-called 'international waters' there. In fact, there's simply no such legal term as 'international waters' in international maritime law," said the spokesman.
"China respects each and every country's right to navigation in relevant waters in accordance with China's laws and international law, including UNCLOS. But we firmly oppose any illegal and provocative act under the pretext of freedom of navigation by relevant countries that harms China's sovereignty and security," he stressed.
"The DPP authorities under Lai Ching-te, in their pursuit of 'relying on foreign forces to seek secession', have abandoned Taiwan's historical roots and willingly kowtowed to foreign forces. Disregarding the facts, they showed no hesitation in betraying the interests of the people by concocting this so-called 'report' which panders to the absurd rhetoric of the United States. Their attempts to hype up these fabrications in collaboration with external forces are disgraceful and will ultimately prove futile," said the spokesman.
Taiwan authorities betray people's interests through collusion with foreign forces: spokesman
Taiwan authorities betray people's interests through collusion with foreign forces: spokesman
Taiwan authorities betray people's interests through collusion with foreign forces: spokesman
