Taiwan denounces China for damaging cross-strait peace

Taipei, June 13 (CNA) The Presidential Office on Tuesday denounced Beijing after it established diplomatic ties with Panama for damaging peace across the Taiwan Strait by continuing to use its "one China principle" to suppress Taiwan internationally.

"Such action is not only a blatant threat to the Taiwanese people's right to survive but also a blatant provocation to cross-strait and regional peace and stability," said Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), a top aide to President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).

"We hereby express our serious condemnation," he said in news conference held separately from another one by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Taiwan's latest diplomatic setback.

Describing Beijing's action as a "mistake" that is hurting the cross-strait status quo and pushing cross-strait ties from peace toward confrontation, he said the government will re-evaluate the cross-strait situation.

He also urged Beijing to stop any move that could damage regional stability and hurt the people of Taiwan, and he appealed to the Taiwanese people to stand united in the face of external challenges.

Earlier Tuesday, Panama's Vice President Isabel Saint Malo signed a joint communiqué with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi (王毅) in Beijing to formally establish diplomatic relations, in which Panama stressed it would not maintain any official ties with Taiwan.

Panama also agreed to recognize that there is only one China and that Taiwan is part of it.

The move was widely seen as part of China's mounting efforts to isolate Taiwan since Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration, which adopted a less conciliatory attitude toward Beijing than its predecessor, took office on May 20, 2016.

In a third news conference on the same issue, Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said the government will not rule out the possibility of reviewing related policies, including those on cross-strait ties, and taking "necessary measures."

He said that over the past year, the government has committed itself to maintaining cross-strait peace and stability by exercising restraint and showing good will.

Beijing, however, has repeatedly hurt the feelings of the Taiwanese people and created confrontation and conflict across the strait, he said, warning the Chinese authorities to "take full responsibility" for damaging cross-strait peace and stability.

(By Claudia Liu, Miao Tzung-han and Y.F. Low)ENDITEM/lsRelated:●Taiwan breaks ties with Panama (update)●Panama to set up official ties with China, ditching Taiwan