Ambassador Qin Gang's interview with US mainstream media

Michael Martina (Reuters): I can follow up on the notion of the US transits of the Taiwan straits. We have every expectation to believe that US will continue to sell weapons to Taiwan as well, in the near future. You said that China will respond to that, as in the past years of actions. But in this post-Pelosi sort of world, we expect that China will take stronger and more aggressive response to these actions than it has going back years.

Ambassador Qin Gang: In the past years, the United States has sold many weapons to Taiwan which is in violation of the commitments in the three Sino-US joint communiques, particularly the joint communique of August 17, 1982. Tomorrow will be the 40th anniversary of the August 17 Joint Communique. We need to read some history. They say that people now have no interest in history or in law. And that's how we are in this. Let me read the sentences in the August 17 Joint Communique: "The United States Government states that it does not seek to carry out a long-term policy of arms sales to Taiwan, that its arms sales to Taiwan will not exceed, either in qualitative or in quantitative terms, the level of those supplied in recent years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and China, and that it intends gradually to reduce its sale of arms to Taiwan, leading, over a period of time, to a final resolution." So 40 years, too long. Has the US resolved this over the past 40 years? No. We haven't seen the United States honor its commitments. They are still going on, the arms sales. The quantities are more, and the qualities are more sophisticated. This is written in black and white in the international document. The United States government has reneged on this commitment. So of course we are opposed strongly to arms sales from the United States. This is the move to change the status quo. This is the move to create tensions. And this is the move to obstruct our efforts to achieve peaceful reunification.

David Lawler (Axios): I have another question on "One China Two Systems", but just quickly, you said the overwhelming will of the Chinese people is for reunification. I wonder if you accept that based on the many polls in elections that the overwhelming will of people in Taiwan at present — I know you said you want to change that — but at present is not to be unified by China.

Ambassador Qin Gang: Let me emphasize this, no matter how different the political systems are between the mainland and Taiwan, the historical fact that both sides belong to one and the same China remains unchanged and will never change. And the fact that people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits are Chinese remains unchanged and will never change. We share the same root, cultural heritage, and national identity. We fully understand Taiwan has been separated from the motherland for decades. We fully understand the (different) political and social systems. We fully understand the sentiments of Chinese people in Taiwan. So that's why we have designed the policy of "One Country, Two Systems". That is to accommodate the differences and accommodate the realities and people's sentiments. This is democracy. This is a great invention in the world. Can you imagine that any place in the United States has a different political, social system? Although I do understand the federal and local differences, your overarching system is the same. In Taiwan, we have shown great goodwill and tolerance to usher in peaceful reunification. The current political system can continue (after reunification). "Two systems" is democracy.

David Lawler: Which leads me to my next question. You said "One Country, Two Systems" still exists in Hong Kong.

Ambassador Qin Gang: Yes.

David Lawler: So does Beijing decide what both systems are or does Taiwan decide? For Hong Kong, obviously, Beijing is defining both systems.

Ambassador Qin Gang: The future solutions to the political systems, the Taiwan solution, will be negotiated by people of both sides. It's a democratic process. The interests and concerns of Taiwan will be fully considered and accommodated based on the principle of "one China". When people talk about "One Country, Two Systems", please don't forget the foundation and precondition is "one China". We cannot allow the foundation or precondition of "one China" to be denied by the "two systems". If there's no "one country", there will be no "two systems".