Q: It was reported that during his visit to India, the Philippine leader said in an interview that “if there is a confrontation over Taiwan between China and the United States, there is no way that the Philippines can stay out of it, simply because of our physical geographic location. If there is an all-out war (across the Taiwan Strait), then the Philippines will be joined into it. We will have to defend our territory and our sovereignty.” He also cited the “large volume of Filipinos” in Taiwan and said that (if there is a war across the Taiwan Strait), it would spell a “humanitarian crisis,” and the Philippines has to get involved and try to bring their citizens back. This is the issue that the Philippines cares the most. They would “immediately mobilize everything” to bring their people out. It would not be a small problem, he added. What is China’s comment on this?

A: There is but one China in the world. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. The Taiwan question is China’s internal affair which is at the very core of China’s core interests. How to settle it is a matter for the Chinese ourselves, which brooks no interference.  

The Philippine government has made serious commitments to China that it adheres to the one-China policy, recognizes that Taiwan is an integral part of the Chinese territory and understands the Chinese government’s efforts to realize national reunification. The Philippine leader also said clearly to China that the Philippines is committed to the one-China policy, and the Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair that must be solved by the Chinese people. As these words are still ringing in our ears, the Philippines is going back on its words in disregard of the grave consequences. It has kept making wrong and provocative remarks and actions, kept fudging and hollowing out the one-China principle, and kept harming the China-Philippines relations. China firmly opposes this. The Chinese Foreign Ministry and Embassy in the Philippines have lodged serious protests with the Philippine side.

It needs to be further stressed that “geographic location” and “large volume of Filipinos” in Taiwan should not be used as pretexts to interfere in the internal and sovereign affairs of other countries. These claims not only contravene international law and the ASEAN Charter, but also harm regional peace and stability and the fundamental interests of its own people. We urge the Philippines to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the spirit of China-Philippines Joint Communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations, and refrain from playing fire on issues bearing on China’s core interests.