China’s Ambassador to New Zealand, Wu Xi, in a special message to mark her country’s 70th anniversary of the coming to power of the Chinese Communist Party has addressed the specific issues of Hong Kong and Taiwan.
“The complete reunification of the motherland is an inevitable trend,” she says.
“It is what the greater national interests entail and what all Chinese people aspire for.”
The Ambassador says China will continue to implement the principles of “One Country, Two Systems”, “Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong”, “Macao people administering Macao” and maintaining a high degree of autonomy.
“China will act in strict accordance with the Constitution and the Basic Laws,” her message says.
“As President Xi Jinping noted in his speech at the Reception in Celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China, ‘We are confident that with the full backing of the motherland and the concerted efforts of our fellow Chinese in Hong Kong and Macao who love the motherland as well as their communities, Hong Kong and Macao will prosper and progress alongside the mainland and embrace an even brighter future’.
“With regard to Taiwan we will uphold the One China principle and the ‘1992 Consensus’”, promote the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait, and deepen cross-Strait economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation for the benefit of people on both sides.”
The Chinese anniversary came as tensions between China and the United States continued to intensify.
Speaking on CNN’s “Fareed Zakaria GPS” on Sunday, Singapore’s Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, said that if U.S.- China relations were not stable and not amicable then the other countries in the region (including New Zealand) would be “pressured very hard to choose sides, and it will be a very painful choice.”
Asked By Zakaria what choice countries would make, Lee said: “I think they will be very unhappy, because all of your (U.S.) allies and many of your partners, so you look at Japan, Korea, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, all treaty allies, all of them have China as the biggest trading partner.
“So if you ask them to choose and say, I, therefore, must cut off my links with my biggest trading partner, I think it will put them in a very difficult position.”
Evidence of that tension came in the Ambassador’s statement.
“With the rapid increase of China’s comprehensive national strength and international influence, some people have concerns that China will invariably seek hegemony, and have created a theoretical framework that posits China as a threat, “she said.
“This theory is grounded in a deep-rooted bias, cognitive misunderstanding, and deliberate distortions from vested interests.
“The fact is that national prosperity, rejuvenation and people’s happiness are dreams shared by the people of China as well as people in countries the world over.
“Ultimately, China’s development is an opportunity for the world.”
She is positive about China’s relationship with New Zealand.
“Our friendship demonstrates to the world that differences in size, social systems and cultural traditions need not stand in the way of good and growing bilateral ties,” she said.
“So long as countries treat each other as equals, and view each other’s development as opportunities rather than challenges, they can always find common ground and work ogether despite differences.
“China stands ready to work with New Zealand to further promote and consolidate the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to bring tangible benefits to our two peoples, and to safeguard the international regime and multilateral trading system for a more peaceful, secure and prosperous world.”
THE FULL TEXT OF HER STATEMENT IS BELOW
