Politically divided sides of Taiwan Strait belong to one China: Beijing

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - China said Tuesday the politically divided sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to "one-China," accusing authorities on the island nation of "distorting" a UN resolution with regard to recognition of Beijing as the legitimate holder of the UN seat.

“Both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one and the same China. Taiwan is part of China’s territory. Although the two sides have been politically against each other for a long time, China’s state sovereignty and territorial integrity has never been split,” said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning.

Beijing was responding to Taiwan’s move to submit a joint letter to the UN Secretary-General through its allies,
that urged him "to rectify the UN’s erroneous interpretation of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758."

“There can only be one seat representing China at the UN,” Mao told reporters in Beijing, according to a transcript of a news conference.

Mao said the Taiwan government is attempting to create a “false impression of ‘two Chinas’ or ‘one China, one Taiwan’” and “hype-up of Taiwan's participation in the UN.”

“The DPP (ruling Democratic Progressive Party) authorities (of Taiwan) have been promoting ‘incremental independence’ and pushing for ‘de-sinicization,’ while some external forces have been fudging and hollowing out the one-China principle and conniving at and supporting separatist acts for ‘Taiwan independence,’” she said.

Mao stressed that the one China principle is a "universal norm in international relations, and all Taiwan's diplomatic relations and activities should be evaluated within the framework of this norm."

Resolution 2758 "made it clear that there can only be one seat representing China at the UN. No issues exist about the so-called 'two Chinas' or 'one China, one Taiwan'," said Mao.