China Condemns US Congratulation of Chen Shui-bian

China considers the congratulatory statement from the White House interference in its internal affairs.

Arguing that Taiwan is a part of China, the Chinese government criticized the U.S. White House statement congratulating Taiwan on its recent presidential election. The current Taiwan president, Chen Shui-bian, was declared the victor in the election by a narrow margain.

Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency, reported that Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Kong Quan stated China firmly opposes that the United States sent congratulations to the Taiwan authority after the announcement of the election results by Taiwan electoral institution. Xinhua further reported Kong described the U.S. action as a "wrong deed" that violates three China-U.S. joint communiques. (For the communiques, click here for UCLA Asia Institute "AsiaDocuments": 1972, 1979, and 1982.)

Kong Quan went on to assert that there is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is part of China. Xinhua reported that he said the U.S. had repeatedly said it would "oppose any words or activities ofthe Taiwan authority to change the status quo of Taiwan or to move toward 'Taiwan independence'."

Date Posted: 3/27/2004