Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang attends a press conference on China's foreign policy and foreign relations on the sidelines of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

The United States should stop containing China by exploiting the Taiwan question and return to the fundamental of the one-China principle, said Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Tuesday. 
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If the United States truly expects a peaceful Taiwan Strait, it should honor its political commitment to China and unequivocally oppose and forestall "Taiwan independence," Qin said at a press conference held on the sidelines of the ongoing annual session of the 14th National People's Congress.

For peace and stability across the Strait, its real threat is the separatist forces for "Taiwan independence" while its solid anchor is the one-China principle and its genuine guardrails are the three China-U.S. joint communiques, he said.

"Mishandling of the Taiwan question will shake the very foundation of China-U.S. relations," he said.

"The Taiwan question is at the very core of China's core interests, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations," he said.

The U.S. has unshirkable responsibility for having caused the Taiwan question, said Qin. He added that the reason why China raises this question to the U.S. is to urge it to stop interfering in China's internal affairs.

Qin raised a chain of questions challenging the United States' double-standard stance on Taiwan.

"Why does the U.S. talk at lengths about respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity on Ukraine, while disrespecting China's sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Taiwan question? Why does the U.S. ask China not to provide weapons to Russia, while it keeps selling arms to Taiwan in violation of the August 17 Communique? Why does the U.S. keep on professing the maintenance of regional peace and stability, while covertly formulating a 'plan for the destruction of Taiwan'?" Qin asked.

No country has the right to interfere in Taiwan affairs as resolving the Taiwan question is China's own business, he said.

For people on both sides of the Strait are of the same family, China will continue to show the utmost sincerity and make the utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification. But China will reserve the option of taking all necessary measures, he said.

One should never underestimate the firm resolve, strong will and great capability of the Chinese government and people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, he stressed.