Beijing Reaffirms One-China Principle Amid Dispute Over UN Resolution 2758
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning rejects Taiwan's interpretation of the 1971 UN resolution.
Quick Look
- Beijing has reiterated that Taiwan is not a country, accusing Lai Ching-te's administration of distorting UN Resolution 2758.
- The dispute centers on the interpretation of the 1971 resolution regarding China's representation and Taiwan's political status.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
UN Resolution 2758, passed in 1971, recognized the PRC as the only legitimate representative of China at the UN. It did not explicitly address the sovereignty or political status of Taiwan.
Beijing reiterated on Tuesday that “Taiwan has never been a country and will never be a country,” in a fresh exchange in the ongoing dispute over a United Nations General Assembly resolution.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning accused what Beijing refers to as Lai Ching-te authorities of distorting Resolution 2758 and showcasing again what she called “their separatist nature for Taiwan independence." Mao insisted that the UN resolution reaffirms the One-China principle.
Previously, Lai said that China was contorting UNGA Resolution 2758 and that Taiwan is a "sovereign independent nation".
“Lai Ching-te authorities' rhetoric will not change the historical and legal fact that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one and the same China, nor will it undermine the international community's steadfast commitment to one China,” the spokesperson said.
Mao said that in Beijing’s view, the resolution “resolved once and for all the question of the whole of China including Taiwan at the United Nations" as, she stated, there is no such thing as "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan".
Beijing also accused the Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party of what it called their “new two-state theory”, with Chen Binhua, spokesperson of Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, saying that “the one-China principle is a basic norm of international relations”.
The UN resolution from 1971 recognised the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate representative of China at the United Nations, expelling “the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek” — or the then-Kuomintang regime — from the world’s top intergovernmental organisation.
The resolution said nothing about Taiwan's sovereignty or political status.
According to Beijing, more than 180 UN member states support the One China principle.
Most major powers, including the US, the EU, the UK, Japan, India and Australia, maintain a "one China policy" under which they recognise the PRC as the government of China and acknowledge but do not explicitly endorse Beijing's claim over Taiwan.
Open Questions
- Will other nations shift their interpretation of Resolution 2758?
- How will Taiwan respond to the latest diplomatic pressure?
