Pentagon spokesman Kirby clarified that US Secretary of Defense Austin did not say that “the United States adheres to the one-China principle.”Figure: flipping Twitter
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues, and the security of the Taiwan Strait has also aroused international attention. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe on April 20, Eastern Time. After the conversation, the Chinese Ministry of Defense released a news nonsense that “the United States adheres to the one-China principle”, but was slapped in the face by the Pentagon, saying that “the U.S. Secretary of Defense did not say that.”
According to Archyde.com, this is the first time Austin has spoken with his Chinese counterpart in more than a year as U.S. defense secretary. During the call, he discussed U.S.-China defense relations, regional security issues, and Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The report pointed out that since U.S. President Joe Biden took office, U.S.-China relations have become more tense at multiple levels.
The press release of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense stated that Wei Fenghe emphasized that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. If the Taiwan issue is not handled properly, it will have a “subversive impact” on the relationship between the two countries. Stop plotting “Taiwan to control China” and stop any words and deeds that interfere in China’s internal affairs. Austin said that the United States adheres to the “one China policy”, and the two sides should manage competition and risks in a responsible manner, and properly handle the difficulties facing the relationship between the two militaries.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby solemnly clarified at a regular press conference on the 6th of this month that the Chinese Ministry of Defense falsely claimed that the United States adheres to the “One China Principle”, but Austin did not say so, but made it clear The US is committed to the “One China Policy”. The U.S. embassy and consulate in China also reposted the news on Twitter, and translated the full text in Simplified Chinese.
Pentagon press secretary@PentagonPresSec: April 20, 2022, U.S. Secretary of Defense@SecDefTalk to the Minister of Defense of the People’s Republic of China.The post-conference report issued by the Ministry of National Defense of the People’s Republic of China incorrectly declared that “the United States adheres to the one-China principle” https://t.co/EqGueUyfOp). The U.S. Secretary of Defense did not say that. https://t.co/YHOFMqgT9M
— US MissionCN (@USA_China_Talk) May 9, 2022
