One-China Principle an Unstoppable Trend of Times

From Renmin Ribao (人民网, People’s Daily Online), Aug. 24, 2023, http://en.people.cn/n3/2023/0824/c90000-20062687.html. Complete text:

On August 21 local time, the Central American Parliament adopted the resolution of revoking the “permanent observer status” of the so-called “Legislative Yuan” of the Taiwan region and accepting the National People’s Congress (NPC) of China as a permanent observer.

It once again indicates that the one-China principle represents the unstoppable trend of the times.

The one-China principle was confirmed by Resolution 2758 adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971 and represents the universal consensus of the international community.

There is but one China in the world. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. This is an indisputable historical and legal fact.

Taiwan has no international legal status other than being a part of China, and has no right to join international organizations whose membership is confined to sovereign states.

In recent years, many Central American countries including Panama, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras have chosen to establish or restore diplomatic ties with China, which demonstrates that the one-China principle has become a broad consensus in the region.

The decision of the Central American Parliament, a parliamentary body of Central American sovereign states, to revoke Taiwan’s observer status and accept the NPC as an observer conforms to the trend of regional countries establishing or resuming diplomatic relations with China, and meets the expectation of peoples in the region to strengthen cooperation with China.

The vast majority of Central American countries adhere to the one-China principle, which creates political conditions to enhance cooperation with China in various fields and delivers tangible benefits to their people.

Since Panama established diplomatic ties with China, the two sides have launched broad mutually beneficial cooperation in economy, trade, finance, agriculture, tourism, transportation, and maritime affairs.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, China provided strong support to the Dominican Republic, for which the Dominican Republic Senate specially commended China.

Since establishing diplomatic relations with China, El Salvador has witnessed steady progress in its cooperation projects with the latter, including a National Library and a pier in La Libertad.

Laureano Ortega Murillo, Advisor to Nicaraguan President on Investment, Trade and International Cooperation and Coordinator for Cooperation with China, described the development of Nicaragua-China ties since the resumption of diplomatic relations as “fast,” “efficient” and “fruitful.”

Honduras established diplomatic relations with China in March this year. It has signed a memorandum of understanding on Belt and Road cooperation with China, and the first round of negotiations on China-Honduras free trade agreement kicked off in early July.

Central American people can see that strengthening cooperation with China benefits national development and improves people’s livelihood, and is in the fundamental interests of their countries and the region as a whole.

Recently, the US House of Representatives passed a so-called “Taiwan International Solidarity Act.” The act claims that UN Resolution 2758 merely recognized the government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal representative of China at the UN, but it did not address the issue of representation of Taiwan and its people in the United Nations, nor did the resolution take a position on the relationship between the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan.

Such rhetoric blatantly distorts the UN resolution and is a despicable ploy to deceive public opinion regarding the Taiwan question.

It is reported that after the Central American Parliament proposed relevant motions, some US politicians attempted to pressure the parliament under the guise of “democracy” while smearing China. The Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities parroted them to confuse the public, and even hurled abuses at relevant Central American countries.

Faced with obstruction and pressure from US politicians and the DPP authorities, the Central American Parliament made the right choice, which fully demonstrates the international community’s universal and firm commitment to the one-China principle, which is unshakable and unassailable. It also proves that any attempt to create “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan” is bound to fail.

The one-China principle has the overwhelming support of the international community and represents the trend of the world. This trend cannot be stopped by any force.

Guatemala remains the only Central American Parliament member state that has yet to establish diplomatic ties with China, but the voice calling to accept the one-China principle is rising in the country.

It is believed that more and more countries and members of the international community will recognize the trend and make the right decision in line with the development of the times.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on China’s foreign policy and international affairs.) (Editors: Chang Sha and Liang Jun)