Military drill 'stern warning' to separatists

China confirmed on Monday a military drill near the Taiwan Strait, calling the exercise a firm response to external forces that deliberately condone and support "Taiwan independence" separatist activities.

It also urged the United States to cease provocative actions and handle the Taiwan question with extreme caution.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning made the remarks as it is widely believed that the drill by the People's Liberation Army was related to the U.S. State Department's update on its Taiwan fact sheet, which removed previous wording that stated it did not support "Taiwan independence".

Mao said the move represented a significant regression in the U.S. stance on the Taiwan question.

It was another egregious example by the U.S. to deliberately "use Taiwan to contain China", sending a seriously erroneous signal to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, she said.

Describing China's military actions as necessary, legitimate and just measures to defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, Mao underscored that they also served as a "stern warning" to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces.

"'Taiwan independence' is incompatible with peace in the Taiwan Strait. Pursuing 'Taiwan independence' is a dead end, while 'using Taiwan to contain China' will ultimately backfire," she said.

The Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests, and the one-China principle is the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, Mao emphasized, urging the U.S. to abide by the one-China principle and the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques in order to prevent further damage to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and bilateral ties.

In a separate development, Mao condemned a joint statement and a declaration on maritime security and prosperity by the Group of Seven foreign ministers, saying that China has lodged solemn representations with countries concerned.

The documents, released on Friday, once again raised concerns about China-related issues, including the Taiwan question and the South China Sea issue. Mao dismissed these statements as distortions of the truth, designed to slander and defame China.

The spokeswoman urged the G7 to abandon its Cold War mentality and ideological bias and cautioned against actions that provoke bloc confrontation and infringe upon China's sovereignty, while calling on it to contribute more to international unity and cooperation.

Also on Monday, Mao said that Beijing condemned any malicious defamation and illegal sanctions against China and Thailand, after the U.S. imposed sanctions on Thai officials over the repatriation of 40 Chinese citizens.

She noted that the U.S.' politicization of the repatriation is "a typical example of double standards and suppression of dissent".

"The U.S. indiscriminately deporting illegal immigrants while accusing, attacking, smearing and imposing sanctions on other countries' legitimate law enforcement cooperation is a typical act of bullying," Mao said.

The U.S. "has no right" to interfere in the cooperation between China and Thailand — two sovereign states — in combating cross-border crimes such as illegal immigration, Mao said, emphasizing that these actions were conducted in line with Chinese and Thai laws, international regulations and established practices.

The Chinese government has the responsibility to protect its citizens, and help them reunite with their families and return to normal life, she added.