Mainland spokesperson urges U.S. to stop sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces

BEIJING, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- A mainland spokesperson on Monday urged the United States to handle the Taiwan question with the "greatest prudence" and stop sending any wrong signals that condone or abet "Taiwan independence" separatist forces.

Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks after the U.S. State Department removed a line on its website stating that it does not support "Taiwan independence."

The removal was a "severe regression" regarding the U.S. stance on the Taiwan question, Zhu said, adding that it severely violated the one-China principle and the three joint communiques between China and the United States.

She reiterated that Taiwan is China's Taiwan, stressing that no matter how Taiwan and the United States collude, it will not change the fact that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China, nor will it change the irreversible trend of China's reunification.