By H. E. Wang Di, Ambassador of the Republic of China in Canada
Recently, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and several cabinet ministers have publicly stated that Canada upholds the One China policy. China appreciates this and reiterates its position on the Taiwan question as follows:
1. Taiwan has been an inalienable part of China’s territory since ancient times, and is a province of China. Taiwan’s restoration to China is a victorious outcome of WWII and an integral part of the post-war international order. In 1971, the 26th session of the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 2758, which recognizes that the representatives of the Government of the People’s Republic of China are the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations. All official documents of the United Nations referred to Taiwan as “Taiwan, Province of China”. It is also clearly stated in the official legal opinions of the U.N. Secretariat that the United Nations considers Taiwan as a province of China with no separate status.
2. The one-China principle is a basic norm of international relations and a universal consensus in the international community, as well as the political foundation of China-Canada relations. Adhering to the one-China policy is a political commitment made by the Canadian government since establishing diplomatic relations with China. All political parties and MPs in Canada should follow this policy of the Canadian government. The one-China principle also constitutes the prerequisite for the Taiwan region of China to engage in external economic cooperation. China firmly opposes countries that have established diplomatic relations with China from engaging in any form of official exchanges with the Taiwan region of China, or from signing any agreements with the Taiwan region that carry implications of sovereignty or possess an official nature.
III. The Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair, and is the core of China’s core interests, which tolerates no external interference. There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is part of China. This is the real status quo of the Taiwan question. The one seeking to change this status quo and threaten peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is the Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan that pursues “Taiwan independence” and the external forces that support and embolden the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces. China is willing to demonstrate the greatest sincerity and exert the utmost effort for the prospect of peaceful reunification, but will never allow Taiwan to be separated from China.
The sound and steady growth of China-Canada relations serves the common interests of the two countries and contributes to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the world. The China-Canada economic and trade relations are characterized by mutual benefit and win-win, and both sides stand to gain from cooperation. Last Month, Prime Minister Mark Carney paid a successful official visit to China. During this visit, the two sides issued a joint statement emphasizing that the two sides are committed to advancing the China-Canada new Strategic Partnership in the spirit of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and Canada reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to its One China policy. China stands ready to work with the Canadian side to accelerate the implementation of the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries, based on mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as respect for each other’s core interests and major concerns, and to steer our bilateral relations onto the track of sound, steady and sustainable development, and bring more benefits to both peoples.
