By Hou Yanqi Recently, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited China’s Taiwan region, which seriously violated the one-China principle and seriously undermined China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. China firmly opposed this, strongly condemned it, and made a firm response to it. In the face of this provocative visit by the US side, the Nepali government, political parties and all sectors of society have spoken out, firmly supporting the one-China principle, China's act of safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity, and China's legitimate position. China wishes to express appreciation for this and here I would like to further introduce the facts and China's position on the Taiwan issue to the Nepali friends. China's reasonable countermeasures: In total disregard of the firm opposition and repeated representations of the Chinese side and with the condonation and even arrangement of the US government, Pelosi went ahead with her visit to China's Taiwan region by the US military plane. It seriously undermined China's sovereignty, interfered in China's internal affairs, violated the commitments made by the US side, and jeopardized peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.  Faced with the provocation by the US side, China has no choice but to fight back and safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Our position is justified, reasonable and legal; our measures are firm, strong and measured; and our military exercises are open, transparent and professional. They are consistent with domestic and international laws, as well as international practices. They are aimed at sending a warning to the perpetrators and punishing "Taiwan independence" separatist forces. The facts and events that have led to cross-Strait tension are crystal clear, and fair-minded people can tell right from wrong. It is the US side that made provocations, created the crisis, and keeps escalating the tense situation. The US is using democracy as a pretext to infringe on China's sovereignty. "Taiwan independence" separatist forces like Tsai Ing-wen cling to the US for support and betrayed the Chinese nation. China has made utmost diplomatic efforts to avoid this crisis that is imposed on us.  Changing the status quo across the Taiwan Strait: Taiwan has been an inalienable part of China's territory since ancient times. The historical and legal facts are very clear. UNGA Resolution 2758 adopted in 1971 made it clear that there is but one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. As many as 181 countries, including the US, have established diplomatic relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle. In 1979, the United States also made a clear commitment in the China-US Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations that the US recognized that the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal Government of China and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. This has been the status quo of the Taiwan Strait for decades.  Currently, the situation in the Taiwan Strait is facing a new round of tension and severe challenges. The fundamental reason is that the Taiwan authorities and the United States are constantly changing the status quo. The Taiwan authorities have repeatedly sought American support for independence and refused to recognize the 1992 Consensus, pushed forward "de-sinicization", continuously sought "incremental independence", and attempt to create "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan" whenever it had the chance. The US side keeps distorting, fudging and hollowing out the one-China principle, put its own so-called "Taiwan Relations Act" before the three China-US joint communique, took out the once-secretive so-called Six Assurances to Taiwan and made that part of its one-China policy, stepped up official exchanges and enhance the substantive relationship with Taiwan. If the status quo in the Taiwan Strait has been broken, it is not by China, but by the US and the separatist forces in Taiwan. Some argue there was precedent for the US House Speaker visiting Taiwan and that it does not mean the US has changed its one-China policy. This is a pure fallacy. The US House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s visit to Taiwan was a serious mistake, and the Chinese Government expressed its strong opposition at the time. The US has no right or reason to repeat the mistake, and cannot use its past wrongdoing as an excuse or reason for repeating it today. About some people with ulterior motives trying to compare the Taiwan issue with the Ukraine issue, I want to make it clear that Taiwan is not a sovereign state, but an inalienable part of China’s territory and the Taiwan question is entirely China’s internal affair. Thus Taiwan and Ukraine are fundamentally different issues and not comparable at all. This is international common sense. One-China principle: the only way out: It is the US side that insisted on having Pelosi visit Taiwan, keeps challenging China’s red line, and seriously violated the most important international law rule of non-interference in internal affairs as stipulated in the UN Charter, leading to the escalation of tensions. In the long run, if the principle of non-interference in internal affairs is disregarded and abandoned, the world will return to the law of the jungle. China cannot allow this to happen, and countries should also unite to not allow this to happen. We noted that more than 170 countries have stepped forward to reiterate their firm commitment to the one-China policy and express understanding and support for the justified position of the Chinese side. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres clearly stated that the UN will continue to adhere to General Assembly Resolution 2758. At the core of the resolution is the one-China principle, i.e., there is but one China in the world, the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is part of China. This is the unified voice of justice of the international community. The right way for China and the United States to get along can only be mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, avoidance of confrontation, and win-win cooperation, especially in dealing with the Taiwan issue, which is the most important, central and sensitive issue in China-US relations. The key to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is the one-China principle, and the key to peaceful coexistence between China and the United States is the three China-US joint communiqué. China sternly urges the US to abide by the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiqués with practical actions, and effectively put into practice the "five noes" commitments made by US leaders. Peaceful Reunification: The Chinese Government has published a white paper titled "The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era". The white paper published on August 10 this year has made in-depth explanations of the facts and truth of the Taiwan question and pointed out it is an indisputable fact supported by history and the law that Taiwan is part of China.  Peaceful reunification and "one country, two systems" are our basic principles for resolving the Taiwan question. Peaceful cross-Straits reunification is of benefit not only to the Chinese nation but to all peoples and the international community as a whole. We will work with the greatest sincerity and exert our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification. But we will not renounce the use of force, and we reserve the option of taking all necessary measures. This is to guard against external interference and all separatist activities. In no way does it target our fellow Chinese in Taiwan. Use of force would be the last resort taken under compelling circumstances. China and Nepal are friendly neighbours for generations and strategic partners. China always respects and supports Nepal's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. The two countries have always understood and supported each other on issues involving each other's core interests and became a model of equal treatment and friendly co-existence between large and small countries. Under the current situation, Nepal has made a clear statement that it firmly upholds the one-China policy and supports China to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We highly appreciate that Nepal upholds fairness and justice, and stands on the right side of history. The friendship between China and Nepal has stood the test of time, and the two peoples are of the same mind. I believe the Nepali government and people will continue to abide by the one-China principle, adhere to the correct position of safeguarding each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, opposing external interference in internal affairs, and support China in realizing the peaceful cross-Straits reunification under the principle of "one country, two systems", with a view to jointly maintaining regional peace and stability and promoting regional development and prosperity. The author is the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Nepal