Beijing: The issue of Taiwan is a red line in our relationship with Washington that must not be crossed

In response to the meeting that brought together, on Wednesday, the President of Taiwan and members of the US Congress, a statement by the Chinese Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee warned against Washington crossing the red line in the relations of the two countries with regard to the Taiwan issue.

On Thursday, China warned the United States not to cross the "red line" in the two countries' relations with regard to Taiwan.

This came in a statement by the Chinese Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, in response to a meeting of members of the US Congress, including Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy, on Wednesday, with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, in California.

"Ignoring China's strong opposition, McCarthy and other members of the US Congress insisted on meeting with Tsai, who is in transit through the United States," the statement said, according to the Chinese public broadcaster "CGTN".

The US meeting with Taiwan's leader "severely violated the one-China principle and the three joint communiqués between Beijing and Washington, and also seriously violated international law and basic norms governing international relations," the statement said.

He stressed that "the Taiwan issue lies at the core of China's core interests, the political foundation between China and the United States, and the first red line that must not be crossed in the relations of the two countries."

The Chinese parliament indicated that the meeting "severely undermined China's sovereignty and territorial integrity," stressing its "strong" condemnation and opposition to the US move, according to the statement.

The statement stressed that "there is only one China in the world, that Taiwan is an integral part of its territory, and that the government of the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government that represents the whole of China."

"Any schemes to use Taiwan to contain China and support or collude with separatist forces are doomed to failure," he added.

The parliament affirmed that China "resolutely" opposes all forms of official interaction between the United States and Taiwan, according to the statement.

The Chinese parliament "strongly" urged the US government and Congress to "stop distorting the one-China principle."

China does not recognize the independence of Taiwan and considers it part of its territory and rejects any attempts to separate it from it. On the other hand, Taiwan does not recognize the central government of Beijing.

Beijing strongly opposes any official contact between Washington and Taipei.