Fei Shengchao,
Chinese Ambassador to Somalia.
After the founding of the People’s Republic of China on 1 October,1949, China’s seat in the United Nations was still illegally occupied by the Chiang Kai-shek clique which was overthrown by the Chinese people. The government of the People’s Republic of China had made longstanding and unremitting efforts to restore its lawful seat in the United Nations.
In 1971, the 26th session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758, which decided to “restore all its rights to the People’s Republic of China and to recognize the representatives of its Government as the only legal legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations, and to expel forthwith the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek from the place which they unlawfully occupy at the United Nations and in all the organizations related to it”. Restoring its lawful seat at the United Nations was a great victory for China. It’s also a great victory for the Third World countries and other countries upholding justice on this issue. In particular, Somalia and many African countries have made important contribution to this success. Chairman Mao Zedong once said, “It was our African brothers who had brought China back to the United Nations”. China’s vote in the United Nations always belongs to the developing world.
The one-China principle is a basic norm in international relations and the general consensus of the international community. At the core of this one-China principle is that there is but one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. To date, 181 countries around the world, including the US, have established diplomatic relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle. In 1979, the US made a clear commitment in the Sino-US Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations that “the United States of America recognizes the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China” and “Within this context, the people of the United States will maintain cultural, commercial and other unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan”.
On 2 August, ignoring China’s strong opposition and solemn representations, the US Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. The visit is a serious violation of the one-China principle and the provisions in the three Sino-US joint communiqués. Pelosi is the incumbent speaker of the US House of Representatives. Her visit to Taiwan, in whatever form, under whatever pretext and at whatever time during her tenure, marks a major political provocation upgrading the official interactions between the US and Taiwan. This is a serious violation of the one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiqués committed by the US Government. It also deals a serious blow to the political foundation of China-US relations, seriously infringes on China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and seriously undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan strait, sending seriously wrong signals to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces.
Both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. Despite the long political standoff between the two sides, China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity have never been divided. The Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affairs. This is the real status quo across the Taiwan Strait, a status quo that has never changed in history and will not change in future. In response to the major political provocation of such a visit, the Chinese side will take all necessary measures to resolutely uphold China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. All the consequences arising therefrom must be borne by the US side and “Taiwan independence” separatist forces.
Given more volatility in the current international situation, the US stresses on the importance of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity on the crisis in Ukraine , but it openly challenges the red line of “one China” on the Taiwan question. The United States had better examine itself whether it applies double standards, whether it truly respects China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Taiwan question, and whether it fully respects the feelings and dignity of the 1.4 billion Chinese people. The Taiwan question is the most important, and most sensitive matter at the very heart of China-US relations. China and the United States are two major countries. The right way for them to deal with each other lies only in mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, no-confrontation and win-win cooperation. The Chinese side solemnly urges the US side to stop playing “the Taiwan card” against China, stop interfering in China’s internal affairs by meddling in Taiwan affairs, stop supporting or conniving at “Taiwan independence” separatist forces in any form, stop talking and walking in different ways on the Taiwan question, and stop obscuring or hollowing out the one-China principle. The US side must honor the one-China principle and the provisions in the three Sino-US joint communiqués with concrete actions, and not go further down the wrong and dangerous path.
The position of the Chinese government and Chinese people on the Taiwan question has been consistent. To resolutely safeguard China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity represents the unbending will of the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people. To realize the complete reunification of the motherland is the common aspiration and resolve of all Chinese. No matter who visits Taiwan, it will not change the international consensus of one-China at all, nor will it change in any way the inevitable historical trend of Taiwan’s return to the motherland. Hegemonic acts of grossly interfering in other countries’ internal affairs would not be popular anywhere, and any attempt to play “the Taiwan card” would be doomed to failure. Those who play with fire could run the risk of getting themselves burnt. I am convinced that China will continue to have the understanding and support from Somalia and other African countries, on the road of safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity, rejecting foreign interference and realizing national reunification. No matter how the situation develops, China has every confidence and capability to resolutely defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the Chinese nation will see its great revival.
The writer of this article is Mr Fei Shengchao, the ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Federal Republic of Somalia.
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