In a recent press briefing in Nuku’alofa, the capital of Tonga, China’s Special Envoy for Pacific Island Affairs, Qian Bo, addressed the controversy surrounding the Taiwan issue in the communique of the 53rd Pacific Island Forum (PIF) meeting. Qian Bo emphasized that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, both historically, legally, and in reality. He stated that there is only one China in the world, and the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing all of China.
According to Qian Bo, Taiwan is neither a sovereign state nor a dialogue partner of the PIF. He criticized the behavior of the Taiwan authorities, which has used the 1992 PIF communique as an excuse to lounge around at the PIF leaders’ meetings, disrupting the focus of the island nations and dialogue partners on the real issues concerning them.
Qian Bo further explained that the 1992 PIF communique’s content regarding Taiwan violates the One-China Principle, and China strongly opposes it. Over the past three decades, there have been significant changes in the situation in the Pacific Islands region. China has established diplomatic relations with 11 of the 14 Pacific Island countries in the PIF. These countries adhere to the One-China Principle and recognize Taiwan as an integral part of China.
China believes that the PIF should make corresponding changes and that the content of the 1992 PIF communique should be re-examined. Solomon Islands’ proposal for forum reform aligns with the expectations of most island nations.
Qian Bo pointed out that many island nation leaders and the PIF secretariat have expressed to China that the inclusion of the Taiwan-related statements in the communique was a mistake. The draft of the communique never contained any Taiwan-related statements, and no discussion on this issue took place during the leaders’ meeting, let alone reaching a consensus. The Troika of the PIF, consisting of the leaders of Tonga, Cook Islands, and Solomon Islands, has made a unified decision to remove the Taiwan-related statements from the communique. China expressed its appreciation for this decision. The secretariat of the PIF has now released the corrected version of the communique.
This statement by China’s Special Envoy for Pacific Island Affairs underscores the country’s commitment to the One-China Principle and its efforts to promote regional stability and cooperation. The issue of Taiwan’s participation in international organizations remains a sensitive topic, and China’s response reflects its determination to safeguard its territorial integrity and sovereignty.
In conclusion, the response by China’s Special Envoy Qian Bo to the Taiwan issue in the PIF communique demonstrates the country’s resolve to promote peace, stability, and cooperation in the Pacific Islands region while upholding the One-China Principle. The PIF’s decision to remove the Taiwan-related statements from the communique reflects a growing recognition of the importance of adhering to the One-China Principle in regional relations.
Views: 0