China urges relevant parties to stop offering stages for "Taiwan independence" separatist forces

BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday urged relevant parties to earnestly honor the one-China principle and stop offering stages for "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, said a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson at a regular press briefing. Spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the remarks after Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te addressed the Copenhagen Democracy Summit via video link. "The so-called Copenhagen Democracy Summit is filled with ideological biases. The summit repeatedly invited 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces to make irresponsible remarks, posing a severe violation of the one-China principle. China firmly opposes it," he said. "Taiwan is part of China; it has never been a country, nor will it ever be one," Guo stressed. He said that the consensus on the one-China principle has won extensive support in the international community and is unshakable. Guo pointed out that Lai Ching-te and his likes, under the guise of so-called "democracy," have deviated from the mainstream public opinion in Taiwan that supports the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations. They peddle their "Taiwan independence" separatism everywhere, spread false narratives, and incite confrontation across the Strait, once again exposing their provocative, reckless and die-hard stance of pursuing "Taiwan independence," he added. "No matter what Lai Ching-te says or does, it cannot change the historical and legal fact that Taiwan is part of China's territory, nor can it undermine the international commitment to the one-China principle," the spokesperson said.