Excellency,
On 11 August 1999, Nicaragua and a very small number of other countries addressed a letter to you in which they request to inscribe on the agenda of the fifty-fourth session of the General Assembly an item entitled "Need to examine the exceptional international situation pertaining to the Republic of China on Taiwan, to ensure that the fundamental right of its twenty-two million people to participate in the work and activities of the United Nations is fully respected" (A/54/194). Upon instruction of my Government, I hereby solemnly state our position as follows:
1. The above-mentioned countries have once again put the so-called "Taiwan's participation in the United Nations" before the General Assembly in an attempt to create "two Chinas" in the Organization. Such an act is a brazen challenge to the "one China" principle widely recognized by the international community. It has seriously contravened the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, severely encroached upon China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and grossly interfered in China's internal affairs. The Chinese Government strongly condemns and opposes such an act and urges these countries to immediately correct their illegal act of obstructing China's peaceful reunification.
H.E. Mr. Kofi Annan
Secretary-General of the United Nations
New York
2. It is known to all that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan has been an inseparable part of China since ancient times. Numerous international instruments, including the 1943 Cairo Declaration and the 1945 Potsdam Proclamation, reaffirmed time and again China's sovereignty over Taiwan. According to international law, the change of government in a country does not change the composition of its territory or citizens. The founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 ended the history of the government of the Republic of China, and the Government of the People's Republic of China has been the sole legal government representing the whole of China ever since. As a matter of course, the Government of the People's Republic of China, inheriting all Chinese territories under the jurisdiction of the previous government of the Republic of China, has exercised sovereignty over the whole of China, including Taiwan province and become the sole legal representative of China in the international community. To date, more than 160 countries in the world have diplomatic relations with China. They all acknowledge that there is only one China in the world, that the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China and that Taiwan is a part of China. Although the two sides of the Taiwan Straits are in a state of separation now, that does not change the status of Taiwan as a part of China, nor China's sovereignty over Taiwan. The two sides of the Straits are by no means two countries. Thus it is nothing strange that the minute it was dished out, Lee Tenghui's "special state-to-state relationship" theory met with unanimous opposition and condemnation of all Chinese within and outside of China, as well as wide criticism by the international community. Many countries reaffirmed their commitment to the "one China" principle.
3. In 1971, the 26th session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted, by an overwhelming majority, the historically significant Resolution 2758 (XXVI), but the above-mentioned letter has gone so far as to willfully distort the meaning of the resolution and claim that the resolution has not addressed the issue of Taiwan's representation at the United Nations. According to principles of international law, the sovereignty of a state is indivisible. Consequently, the representation of a state in an international organization composed of sovereign states is also indivisible. As is known to all, in the 22 years before Resolution 2758 was adopted, due to the Cold War, the Government of the People's Republic of China had been excluded from the United Nations and the seat of China at the Organization illegally occupied by the Taiwan authorities. Resolution 2758 corrected this historical mistake created by the Cold War by recognizing clearly and unequivocally that "the representatives of the Government of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations are the only lawful representatives of China to the United Nations and that the People's Republic of China is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council" and deciding to restore all legitimate rights of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations and expel the representatives of Taiwan who were claiming to represent China "from the place which they unlawfully occupy at the United Nations and in all the organizations related to it". Restoring the legitimate rights of the People's Republic of China at the United Nations and expelling the Taiwan authorities from the Organization are two indivisible aspects of the one issue of China's representation at the UN. One can not be without the other. Resolution 2758 confirmed the "one China" principle and solved the issue of China's representation at the UN in a just, thorough and comprehensive manner. Its adoption also defeated the attempts of a handful of countries to create "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan" at the UN. This resolution is in conformity with the historical trend of the times and accords with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. As of the day when the legitimate rights of the People's Republic of China were restored at the UN, the Government of the People's Republic rightfully represents all Chinese, including the Taiwan compatriots, in the United Nations and all organizations related to it. Thus, there is simply no such issue as Taiwan's so-called "representation at the United Nations".
4. The United Nations is an inter-governmental international organization composed of sovereign states. Article 4 of its Charter clearly stipulates that UN membership is open only to sovereign states. As a province of China, Taiwan is in no position to participate in the work or activities of the United Nations or its specialized agencies. The issue of Taiwan is fundamentally different from those of Germany and Korea and can not be placed on a par with them. The German and Korean issues were results of a series of international agreements reached during and after World War II while the issue of Taiwan is a leftover of China's civil war. Therefore, the principle of parallel representation does not apply to Taiwan at all. The General Committee of the successive sessions of the General Assembly since 1993 has flatly refused to include the issue of Taiwan's so-called "participation" in the United Nations in the agenda of the General Assembly. This fully demonstrates the determination of the vast number of Member States to safeguard the Charter of the United Nations and norms of international law as well as their strong will to preserve the solemnity of Resolution 2758. Although this year's proposal by Nicaragua and a small number of other countries came out after elaborate and meticulous repackaging, it will inevitably come to the same end as that of all the previous ones.
5. The issue of Taiwan is purely an internal matter of China and an issue for the Chinese themselves to resolve. It brooks no foreign interference. There is nobody in the world who cares more about the future and interests of the 22 million Taiwan compatriots than the Chinese Government and people. To solve the question of Taiwan and realize reunification of the motherland, the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping came up with the creative concept of "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems" which later became and still remains a fundamental state policy. President Jiang Zemin put forward an eight-point proposal for developing cross-Straits relations and promoting peaceful reunification of the motherland. All these policies and proposals have taken into account the paramount interest of national development and the long-term interest of the entire Chinese population. They have also accommodated and helped protect the fundamental interest of Taiwan compatriots and Taiwan's need for development. These policies and principles are warmly supported by all Chinese, including Taiwan compatriots, and well received by the international community. The smooth return of Hong Kong has proven the policy of "one country, two systems" a great success. In accordance with the same policy, Macao will return to China by the end of this year. To achieve peaceful reunification of the motherland in accordance with the principle of "one country, two systems" is the aspiration of all Chinese people, including Taiwan compatriots. In keeping with their long-term interest, it will also be a contribution to peace and security in the Asia Pacific. As a matter of fact, the Chinese Government has taken a series of measures in recent years to promote dialogue, personnel exchange, economic relations and trade between the two sides of the Straits. However, the separatist remarks by the Taiwan authorities and their attempts to create "two Chinas" in the international arena have severely damaged cross-Straits relations, built up tension in the area and endangered peace and security in the Asia Pacific. The proposal by Nicaragua and a handful of other countries would only fan the flames of Taiwan's separatist activities and hinder China's peaceful reunification.
6. China attaches importance to its relations with all UN Member States and is willing to develop friendly relations and cooperation with all countries in the world on the basis of the principles of mutual respect for state sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence. China has not done anything harmful to the interest of the above-mentioned small number of countries, but time and again, what they have done and are still doing regarding the issue of Taiwan has undermined China's fundamental state interest and hurt the feelings of the Chinese people. We hope that these countries will get a clear understanding of the situation and go along with the historical trend. We hope that they will abide by the Charter of the United Nations and relevant General Assembly resolutions, join the vast majority of UN Member States in their unanimous position on this issue and not be deceived and taken advantage of by the Taiwan authorities any more. We have every reason to believe that in our just cause of safeguarding state sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Chinese Government and people will continue to be able to count on the government and people of the majority of Member States for their understanding and support.
I have the honor to request that this letter be circulated as an official document of the fifty-fourth session of the General Assembly under item 57 of the provisional agenda.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
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