BEIJING - Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a daily news briefing here Tuesday that China firmly opposes the so-called new rules for US government contacts with Taiwan and has lodged solemn representations with the United States.

The US State Department on April 9 unveiled new rules for US government contacts with Taiwan in a statement, saying that the Biden administration intends to "liberalize" the rules to reflect the "deepening unofficial relationship" between the United States and Taiwan. "These new guidelines will continue the US government's longstanding practice of providing clarity throughout the US executive branch of how to implement our 'one-China' policy," the department said.

In response, spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the one-China principle is the political foundation of China-US relations. The Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and the United States clearly states that the US people will maintain cultural, commercial and other unofficial relations with Taiwan people, and it has been the prerequisite for the development of China-US relations over the past 40-odd years, he said.

Zhao said the so-called new rules for US government contacts with Taiwan openly encourage the US government to engage in cooperation with Taiwan, which seriously violates the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, the serious political commitment made by the United States on the Taiwan question and sent the wrong signals to separatist forces seeking "Taiwan independence."

Noting that the Taiwan question concerns China's sovereignty, territorial integrity and core interests, Zhao urged the United States to recognize the situation, strictly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, immediately stop any form of official exchanges with Taiwan, handle Taiwan-related issues carefully and properly, and refrain from sending any wrong signals to separatist forces seeking "Taiwan independence" to avoid subversive damage to China-US relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.