Taiwan Question is Purely China’s Internal Affair, One-China Principle Brooks No Challenge

Written by : Mr Xu Jian, Charge d’Affaires of Chinese Embassy in Sudan

Despite China’s fierce opposition, the U.S. has recently approved large-scale arms sales to China’s Taiwan region valued at 11.1 billion U.S. dollars, which is its largest ever for the Taiwan region. The U.S. move, once again, grossly interferes in China’s internal affairs, seriously undermines the sovereignty and security interests of China and severely threat peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. It sends a gravely wrong message to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces. In response, China immediately made serious démarche and strong protest to the U.S., and announced necessary countermeasures against those U.S. military-related companies and senior executives involved in the arms sales. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) also launched large-scale joint military drills around Taiwan island. These measures are a legitimate response and a stern warning to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces and external forces that interfere in China’s internal affairs. They are fully necessary, lawful and justified.
The one-China principle is a universal consensus of the international community and must not be challenged. There is but one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. This is rooted in historical facts and international legal documents. At its 26th session in 1971, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 that settled once and for all the political, legal and procedural issues of China’s representation in the UN. It spelled out that the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. This resolution must not be distorted or challenged. To date, 183 countries around the world have established and developed diplomatic relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle. This fully demonstrates that the one-China principle is a prevailing political consensus of the international community and a basic norm of international relations. It has been an integral part of the current international order.
The U.S. arms sales to the Taiwan region is a severe breach of the commitment it has made to China. The arms sales will only create crises and heighten the risks, rather than safeguard peace and enhance security. In 1982, the U.S. made a clear commitment in the China-U.S. August 17 Communiqué that “it intends to reduce gradually its sales of arms to Taiwan, leading over a period of time to a final resolution”. However, over the ensuing four decades and more, the U.S. repeatedly went back on its word. Far from reducing it, the U.S. has ramped up its arms sales to Taiwan, selling weapons that are more advanced. Under the pretext of the so-called “Taiwan Relations Act” and the “Six Assurances”, it has been increasing the scale of its arms sales to Taiwan. The U.S. move goes against the three China-U.S. joint communiqués and the commitment it has reiterated to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
“Taiwan separatist forces relying on the U.S. for independence” will only undermine peace across the Taiwan Strait and accelerate their own demise. Facts have proved time and again that the repeated attempts by the Taiwan authorities to rely on the U.S. for independence and the despicable attempt of some people in the U.S. to exploit Taiwan to contain China represent the greatest change to the status quo of the Taiwan Strait and the gravest threat to peace across the strait. Obsessed with the separatist position of “Taiwan independence” and relying on the U.S. for independence, the Lai Ching-te authorities vainly attempt to purchase weapons from the U.S. in exchange for the so-called “security”. The U.S. move to keep selling weapons to the Taiwan region in an aim to incite the Taiwan authorities to pursue “independence” by force will only push the Taiwan Strait into a dangerous situation and bring grave disasters to the compatriots in Taiwan. Whoever engage in “Taiwan independence” on the island will be held accountable by history. Whoever in the world connive at and support “Taiwan independence” will end up suffering the consequences.
China’s resolution to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity remains rock-solid. The Chinese government has always worked with the greatest sincerity and effort to pursue peaceful reunification. However, it must be stressed that adherence to the one-China principle is the prerequisite for peaceful reunification. China will neither tolerate any form of “Taiwan independence” separatist activities, nor allow any external forces to interfere in its internal affairs. The government and people of China are firm in our resolve to safeguard China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Anyone who crosses the line or makes provocations on the Taiwan question will be met with China’s firm response. All attempts to hold back China’s reunification will invariably fail.
The tide of history is mighty. Those who follow it will prosper, while those who go against it will perish. Sudan has always abided by the one-China principle, firmly supported China in safeguarding national unity and territorial integrity, and firmly supported China’s position on the Taiwan question. China highly appreciates Sudan’s adherence and support, and stands ready to work with Sudan, on the basis of the one-China principle, to renew China-Sudan traditional friendship and jointly usher in another decade of China-Sudan strategic partnership, so as to bring greater benefits to the two peoples and make new contributions to world peace and development.