On February 10, 2026, the Chinese Embassy in the United States held the “Galloping Steadily Toward Progress in the Year of the Horse” 2026 Chinese New Year Reception.

Ambassador Xie said in his remarks that there have been and will continue to be differences between China and the U.S. The key is to respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, so as to install a “safety valve” for bilateral relations. The Taiwan question is the first red line that must not be crossed, which bears on China’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, and is close to the hearts of the 1.4 billion Chinese people. Taiwan has been part of China’s territory since ancient times. As early as in the mid-12th century, China set up administrative bodies to exercise jurisdiction over Penghu and Taiwan. The fact was further reaffirmed by a series of instruments with legal effect under international law during World War II and after its victory, including the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 adopted in 1971.

Ambassador Xie emphasized that the one-China principle is not only a broad consensus of the international community, but also the political foundation for China and the U.S. to reopen doors to each other and gradually normalize bilateral relations in the 20th century. The three Sino-U.S. Joint Communiqués are binding intergovernmental agreements reached by both sides, which are fundamentally centered on the one-China principle. Currently, the biggest threat toward peace across the Taiwan Strait comes from the separatist activities and dangerous provocations by the “Taiwan independence” forces. We hope the U.S. side will earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the three Sino-U.S. Joint Communiqués.