Letter: China irked by Taiwan title

Your newspaper published a letter (May 31) from Stanley Kao, former representative of the Taiwan authorities in the US, deliberately distorting and smearing the policy and position of the Chinese government on the Taiwan issue, which we deplore.

It must be pointed out that it is completely wrong and unacceptable for you to refer to Kao as “ambassador”, when he is actually a representative of Taiwan, which is a region of China.

There is but one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China. The government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. This is the core concept of the one-China principle and has become a consensus of the international community and basic norm governing international relations. It is also the political foundation of China-US relations.

The relevant remarks of the US side attempt to deny the one-China principle by misrepresenting history and distorting facts. It must be pointed out that be it the one-China principle or the one-China policy, the essence of both is “one China”.

This is a political consensus reached between China and the US. We urge the US to abide by the one-China principle and the stipulations in the three China-US joint communiqués, return to the original and true meaning of “one China” and stop seeking to contain China with Taiwan-related issues.

We want to warn a few people in the Taiwan region that China’s complete reunification is the shared aspiration of all the Chinese people. No one should underestimate China’s strong resolve, determination and capability in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. We are willing to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification with utmost sincerity and efforts, but will leave no room at all for separatist activities for “Taiwan independence”.

Zeng Rong
Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the UK, London W1, UK