BEIJING, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- China firmly opposes any visit by "Taiwan independence" separatists to the United States in any name or under whatever pretext, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

 

The spokesperson made the remarks when asked to comment on the deputy leader of the Taiwan region Lai Ching-te's visit to Paraguay via the United States.

 

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities announced on Aug. 2 that Lai will leave on Aug. 12 for Paraguay to attend the president's inauguration. He will "transit" in New York and San Francisco in the United States on his way to and from Paraguay.

 

The spokesperson said China firmly opposes any form of official interaction between the United States and the Taiwan region, firmly opposes any visit by "Taiwan independence" separatists to the United States in any name or under whatever pretext, and firmly opposes any form of U.S. connivance and support for "Taiwan independence" separatists and their separatist activities.

 

The Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests and a red line that cannot be crossed, the spokesperson said.

 

China urges the United States to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, act on its leaders' commitment of not supporting "Taiwan independence," stop official interactions with Taiwan, stop upgrading its substantive exchanges with the region, stop sending wrong messages to separatist forces seeking "Taiwan independence," and refuse to let Lai "transit" the United States, the spokesperson said.

 

The spokesperson noted that China will closely follow the developments and take firm and strong measures to safeguard our nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

 

"We would like to tell the DPP authorities seriously that 'Taiwan independence' is a dead end, fawning on the United States and selling Taiwan away will only harm the people of Taiwan, and any attempt to seek 'independence' and make provocation in collusion with external forces is doomed to failure." the spokesperson said.