China says US must not be 'surprised' by Beijing's call to end cooperation in some sectors

Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu has asserted that the US needs to fulfil its international responsibilities and obligations and it "should stop making excuses for its own mistakes." He said that China had in advance warned Washington that US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan could cause "crisis and major disruptions to China-US exchange and cooperation." In an interview with CGTN published on Chinese Foreign Ministry website, Zhaoxu stressed that the US should not feel "surprised or upset" by China's decision to suspend cooperation in some sectors as it did not make the move without warning. 

Notably, China had objected to Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory. Ma Zhaoxu said that the US has been claiming to have made no change in its one-China policy but "in fact, it has it has been undermining the one-China principle over the years." He stressed that the US has placed "some unilateral stuff" in the one-China policy, including the "Taiwan Relations Act" and termed it against international law which will never be accepted by Beijing. In an interview with CGTN published on Chinese Foreign Ministry website, Ma Zhaoxu said that the US can keep unofficial cultural and commercial ties with Taiwan as per the three China-US joint communique. He further added that Pelosi is the number 3 politician in the US and during her stay in Taiwan, she acknowledged it as an official visit. 

Chinese Vice-Foreign Min calls Pelosi's visit to Taiwan 'provocative'

Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu called Pelosi's visit to Taiwan "provocative" and emphasised that it "infringed" on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and breached the one-China principle. He claimed that Pelosi's visit to Taiwan undermined peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. He told CGTN that China has every reason to take countermeasures and called them a "necessary and legitimate" response to provocations made by the US. Ma Zhaoxu claimed that more than 170 nations and international organisations have reiterated their commitment to the one-China principle and backed China in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry announces cancelling China-US Theater Commanders talks

After Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 5 announced cancelling China-US Theater Commanders talks, China-US. Defence Policy Coordination Talks (DPCT). Furthermore, Beijing announced cancelling China-US Military Maritime Consultative Agreement (MMCA) meetings, according to the statement released by Chinese Foreign Ministry. Meanwhile, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it will be suspending China-US cooperation on the repatriation of illegal immigrants and China-US cooperation on legal assistance in criminal matter. Moreover, the Chinese Foreign Ministry suspended China-US cooperation against transnational crimes and China-US counternarcotics cooperation as well as talks between Beijing and Washington on climate change.

Image: AP