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V. Several Questions
Involving
Taiwan in International
Relations

As has been elucidated in the foregoing, there is only one China inthe world, of which Taiwan is an inalienable part. The Government of thePeople's Republic of China has been recognized by the United Nations andthroughout the world as the sole legal government representing the entireChinese people. In the interest of safeguarding state sovereignty and realizingnational reunification the Chinese Government has always stood firm onthe principle of one China and ensured the interests of Taiwan compatriotsin international relations involving Taiwan. The Chinese Government hasno doubt that its position will be respected by all other governments andpeople.

The Chinese Government deems it necessary to reiterate its positionand policy on the following matters.

(1) Relations between Taiwan and countries maintaining diplomatic tieswith China

All countries maintaining diplomatic relations with China have, in conformitywith international law and the principle of one China, undertaken in formalagreement or understanding with the Chinese Government not toestablish any ties of an official nature with Taiwan. According to internationallaw, a sovereign state can only be represented by a single central government.As a part of China, Taiwan has no right to represent China in the internationalcommunity, nor can it establish diplomatic ties or enter into relationsof an official nature with foreign countries. Nevertheless, consideringthe needs of Taiwan's economic development and the practical interestsof Taiwan compatriots, the Chinese Government has not objected to non-governmentaleconomic or cultural exchanges between Taiwan and foreign countries.

In recent years the Taiwan authorities have vigorously launched a campaignof "pragmatic diplomacy" to cultivate official ties with countrieshaving diplomatic relations with China in an attempt to push "dualrecognition" and achieve the objective of creating a situation of"two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan". The ChineseGovernment is firmly against this scheme.

It is noted that the overwhelming majority of the countries of the worldcherish friendly relations with China and abide by their agreement or understandingwith China on the issue of Taiwan. The Chinese Government appreciates this.On the other hand, it should be pointed out that, in disregard of theirinternational credibility, certain countries have breached the undertakingmade at the time of the establishment of diplomatic ties with the People'sRepublic of China by evolving official relations with Taiwan, thereby puttinga spoke in the wheel of China's reunification. The Chinese Government sincerelyhopes that the governments in question will take measures to rectifythe situation.

(2) Relations between international organizations and Taiwan

The sovereignty of each State is an integral whole which is indivisibleand unsharable. The Government of the People's Republic of China, as thesole legal government of China, has the right and obligation to exercisestate sovereignty and represent the whole of China in international organizations.The Taiwan authorities' lobbying for a formula of "one country, twoseats" in international organizations whose membership is confinedto sovereign states is a manoeuvre to create "two Chinas". TheChinese Government is firmly opposed to such an attempt. Its principledposition fully conforms to the fundamental interests of the entire Chinesepeople including Taiwan compatriots and overseas Chinese. Only on the premiseof adhering to the principle of one China and in the light of the natureand statutes of the international organizations concerned as well as thespecific circumstances, can the Chinese Government consider the questionof Taiwan's participation in the activities of such organizations and ina manner agreeable and acceptable to the Chinese Government.

All the specialized agencies and organizations of the United Nationssystem are inter-governmental organizations composed of sovereign states.After the restoration of the lawful rights of the People's Republic ofChina in the United Nations, all the specialized agencies and organizationsof the U.N. system have formally adopted resolutions restoring to the People'sRepublic of China its lawful seat and expelling the "representatives"of the Taiwan authorities. Since then the issue of China's representationin the U.N. system has been resolved once and for all and Taiwan's re-entryis out of the question. However, it should be pointed out that recentlysome elements of the Taiwan authorities have been clamouring for "returningto the United Nations". Apparently, this is an attempt to split statesovereignty, which is devoid of any legal or practical basis. The ChineseGovernment is convinced that all governments and organizations of the U.N.system will be alert to this scheme and refrain from doing anything prejudicialto China's sovereignty.

In principle, Taiwan is also ineligible for membership in other categoriesof inter-governmental organizations. As to regional economic organizationssuch as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Asia-Pacific EconomicCooperation (APEC), Taiwan's participation is subject to the terms of agreementor understanding reached between the Chinese Government and the partiesconcerned which explicitly prescribe that the People's Republic of Chinais a full member as a sovereign state whereas Taiwan may participate inthe activities of those organizations only as a region of China under thedesignation of Taipei, China (in ADB) or Chinese Taipei (in APEC). Thisis only an ad hoc arrangement and cannot constitute a "model"applicable to other inter-governmental organizations or international gatherings.

As regards participation in non-governmental international organizations,the relevant bodies of the People's Republic of China may reach an agreementor understanding with the parties concerned so that China's nationalorganizations would use the designation of China, while Taiwan's organizationsmay participate under the designation of Taipei, China or Taiwan, China.

(3) Aviation services between Taiwan and countries having diplomaticrelations with China

Airspace is an inalienable part of a country's territory. The 1919 ParisAviation Convention and the 1944 Chicago Convention affirm the principleof complete and exclusive sovereignty of each country over its airspace.Therefore, the opening of aviation services with Taiwan by any airlines,including privately-operated ones, of countries having diplomatic relationswith China is a political issue affecting China's sovereignty and cannotbe regarded as a non-political transaction. State-run airlines of countrieshaving diplomatic relations with China certainly must not operate air servicesto Taiwan. Privately-operated airlines must seek China's consent throughconsultations between their government and the Chinese Government beforethey can start reciprocal air services with privately-operated airlinesof Taiwan. As a matter of fact, according to the afore-said principle theChinese Government has consented to such services between privately-operatedairlines of Britain, Germany, Canada, etc. and their counterparts in Taiwan.

As for countries which already had aviation services with Taiwan beforethe establishment of diplomatic relations with the People's Republic ofChina, they can negotiate with the Chinese Government to change the officialnature of such services so as to be able to continue the operations asprivately-run commercial transportation undertakings.

(4) Arms sales to Taiwan by countries having diplomatic relations withChina

The Chinese Government has always firmly opposed any country sellingany type of arms or transferring production technology of the same to Taiwan.All countries maintaining diplomatic relations with China should abideby the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrityand non-interference in each other's internal affairs, and refrain fromproviding arms to Taiwan in any form or under any pretext. Failure to doso would be a breach of the norms of international relations and an interferencein China's internal affairs.

All countries, and especially big powers shouldering major responsibilitiesfor world peace, are obligated to strictly abide by the guidelines laiddown by the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council to restrictthe proliferation of conventional weapons so as to contribute to maintainingand promoting regional peace and security. However, at a time when relationsacross the Taiwan Straits are easing up, certain powers have seen fit torenege on their undertakings under international agreements and to floutthe Chinese Government's repeated strong representations by making armssales to Taiwan, thereby whipping up tension between the two sides of theStraits. This not only constitutes a serious threat to China's securityand an obstacle to China's peaceful reunification, but also underminespeace and stability in Asia and the world at large. It stands to reasonthat the Chinese people should voice strong resentment against this conduct.

In international affairs the Chinese Government always pursues an independentforeign policy of peace and adheres to the Five Principles of mutual respectfor sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interferencein each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefitand peaceful Co-existence. It actively seeks to develop friendly relationswith all countries of the world and will never undermine any country'sinterests nor interfere in its internal affairs. By the same token it expectsall other governments to refrain from undermining China's interests orinterfering in China's internal affairs and to correctly handle their relationswith Taiwan.