China slams Taiwan content in US defense authorization act

BEIJING, China

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said early this week that despite China's opposition, the United States passed and signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 that contains negative China-related content, and that China strongly deplores and firmly opposes this and has made serious demarches to the U.S. side.

In response to a media query, spokesperson Mao Ning told a daily news briefing that the Act interferes in China's internal affairs, preaches U.S. military support to Taiwan, and violates the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques.

China urges the United States to honor the commitment of its leader of not supporting "Taiwan independence," stop manipulating the Taiwan question and stop endangering peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, she said.

The Act pictures China as a threat, suppresses Chinese companies, and limits normal economic, trade and people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States, which serves no one's interest.

“The United States needs to abandon its Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice and create a favorable environment for China-U.S. cooperation in trade and other sectors.” Mao said.

"We urge the United States to work with China to deliver on the important outcome and common understandings of the San Francisco summit. Negative China-related content in the Act should not be implemented," Mao said, adding that if the United States insists on going ahead with it, China will take resolute and strong measures to firmly safeguard its sovereignty, security and development rights and interests.