Yang Tao, director-general of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of China's Foreign Ministry Photo: Wechat account of Kuanguangtaipingyang

In response to some US officials' unfounded claims about UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, hyping the so-called "undetermined status of Taiwan" and advocating for the island of Taiwan's participation in UN meetings and activities, Yang Tao, director-general of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of China's Foreign Ministry, held a briefing on Friday to clarify China's position, saying the US is challenging the international consensus on the one-China principle. The lies of the US, even if repeated a thousand times, will not become the truth, said Yang.

Yang said on Friday that for some time, the US has deliberately distorted and challenged Resolution 2758, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971. The resolution restored all the lawful rights of the People's Republic of China in the UN and expelled the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek at the UN and in all the organizations related to it.

The US has hyped up the so-called "undetermined status of Taiwan" and advocated for the island of Taiwan to participate in UN meetings and activities.

Recently, officials from the US State Department made unfounded claims that Resolution 2758 "does not recognize, is not equivalent to, and does not reflect" a consensus on the one-China principle, is not related to the sovereignty choices of countries regarding Taiwan island, and does not preclude the island from participating in the UN system and other multilateral forums. The US also claimed that its one-China policy differs from China's one-China principle.

Yang said that this false narrative of the US is an attempt to mislead the international community and challenge the international consensus on the one-China principle. "We believe it is necessary to comprehensively and systematically clarify the origin and essence of UNGA Resolution 2758, and set the record straight," said Yang.

The one-China principle is crystal clear: There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an integral part of China, and the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. The UNGA Resolution 2758 fully reflects and solemnly confirms the one-China principle. Taiwan has always been a part of China since ancient times, which is a historical fact and also part of the international consensus, said Yang.

On October 25, 1971, the 26th session of the UNGA overwhelmingly passed Resolution 2758. The resolution thoroughly resolved the issue of representation of China, including the island of Taiwan, in the UN politically, legally, and procedurally. It clarified that there is only one China in the world, that Taiwan is part of China, not a separate country, and that there is only one seat for China at the UN, with the government of the People's Republic of China being the sole legitimate representative. There is no "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan," said Yang.

"If the status of Taiwan is undetermined, and if China's representation does not include the Taiwan island, why expel 'the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek?' Why, for over 50 years, have China's contributions to the UN and many other international organizations included the island of Taiwan's GDP? With such clear facts and simple reasoning, why does the US pretend to be confused?" Yang asked.

The UN system has consistently adhered to UNGA Resolution 2758 and upheld the one-China principle in handling questions related to the Taiwan island. After the adoption of UNGA Resolution 2758, the UN and its specialized agencies, as well as other intergovernmental organizations, have all abided by it, affirming that Taiwan is a province of China and not recognizing the so-called international representation of the Taiwan authorities.

The UN Office of Legal Affairs has issued multiple legal opinions, stating clearly that Taiwan is part of China, that Taiwan, as a province of China, does not have independent status, and the Taiwan authorities do not enjoy any form of governmental status. If "Taiwan" needs to be mentioned in Secretariat documents, the term "China's Taiwan Province" must be used.

Yang noted that as part of China, Taiwan island has no legal basis, reason, or right to participate in the UN or other international organizations that are only open to sovereign states. Any issue regarding Taiwan's participation in international organization activities must be handled in accordance with the one-China principle confirmed by UNGA Resolution 2758.

The international community universally abides by UNGA Resolution 2758, fully and accurately implementing the one-China principle. As a signatory of the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, the US is well aware of the historical and legal fact that Taiwan belongs to China, yet it seems to have developed a case of "amnesia," openly challenging the post-war international order, said Yang.

As a founding member of the UN and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, instead of leading by example in complying with UN resolutions, the US has repeatedly questioned and distorted them, eroding the foundation of the UN, trampling on the principles of international law, and attempting to mislead international public opinion with its malicious distortions, imposing its erroneous stance on the international community, said Yang.

"Is this what the US calls a 'rule-based international order'"? This is clearly hegemony and coercion, picking and choosing which international laws to follow," said Yang.

The US must cease its attempts to undermine the one-China principle, said Yang.

"We want to remind the US that reversing the course of history will inevitably lead to disaster, playing the 'Taiwan card' will inevitably backfire, and pursuing a policy of 'using Taiwan to contain China' will inevitably end in failure," said Yang.

"We want to warn the US that regarding UNGA Resolution 2758, it has an obligation to strictly adhere to it, with no qualification to interpret it arbitrarily, let alone the privilege to act recklessly. We urge the US not to stand in opposition to the international community, not to oppose international justice, and not to oppose the fundamental principles of international relations," said Yang.

Global Times