VIDEO: Belfast-based diplomat circulates messages warning that those who offend China stand to ‘perish by fire’ and risk ‘becoming enemies to 1.4 billion Chinese people’

The Chinese consul has been re-tweeting government statements over the last few days as well as adding her own.

The Chinese government has been incensed by the USA’s decision to send a high-level political delegation to Taiwan, led by speaker of the House of Congress Nancy Pelosi.

She is the most senior US politician to visit in 25 years.

Taiwan is a prosperous island of over 23 million people off the coast of south China.

During the Chinese civil war in the 1940s, the forces of communist leader Mao Zedong chased the defeated Kuomintang (non-communist Chinese nationalists) off the mainland and onto the island, where they set up their own government.

Today Taiwan has free elections and allows far greater civil liberties than China, and whilst the two trade with one another, China views Taiwan as its own territory, much as it viewed Hong Kong (an island city which it has since taken over).

There has been much speculation in recent years about the risk of all-our war between China and the west over the island, bringing with it the possibility of a nuclear holocaust.

Zhang Meifang (who formerly worked in consulates in Toronto and New York) has been prolofic in re-tweeting out a stream of praise for China’s leaders and contempt for the US this week.

This includes quotes from Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister, that “those who play with fire will perish by it, and those who offend China will be punished”.

She also quoted him as saying: “Some US politicians who selfishly play with fire on the Taiwan question, becoming the enemies to 1.4 billion Chinese people, will not meet with a good end.”

Wang Yi had met with Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness as well as Alliance, SDLP and UUP figures when he was welcomed to the Hilton Hotel in Belfast in 2015 to mark China’s intention to set up a consulate in the city.

That evening the audience listened to him speak about trade in Northern Irish food products and joke about the success of Rory McIlroy, whilst both Mr McGuinness and Mrs Foster offered salutations in Chinese.

Other messages re-tweeted by Zhang Meifang say China’s soldiers “vow to defend the motherland to death” and that “the Chinese People’s Liberation Army is a people’s army led by the proletariat and guided by Marxist theory; it is a solid force to defend national sovereignty and the socialist system”.

She added her own comments too such as: “Any activity seeking ‘Taiwan independence’ will be smashed by the mighty anti-secession and pro-reunification forces of the Chinese people.”

She included a video of China’s supreme leader asking about soldiers’ bedding and food, saying: “President Xi Jinping shows a deep bond with soldiers and cares about their daily lives.

“During his inspections, he talks with them, learns about their accommodations, eats with them, tells them his expectations and encourages them. Let’s review these warm moments.”

Clips from this video and other tweets are included above.

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