The UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 Cannot Be Distorted, and the One-China Principle Must Not Be Challenged

Shen Minjuan

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Mongolia

Eighty years ago on this day, October 25, Taiwan was restored to the motherland from Japanese occupation, a moment that remains deeply engraved in the memory of all Chinese people. Fifty-four years ago today, the 26th Session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 with an overwhelming majority, resolving once and for all the question of the representation of the whole of China, including Taiwan, in the UN, as a political, legal and procedural issue. It was a day of great pride for the Chinese people.

The return of Taiwan was an unchallengeable victory in the world’s anti-fascist war and an important part of the post-war international order. The one-China principle is a widely recognized consensus of the international community and a basic norm governing international relations. Some countries have deliberately distorted Resolution 2758 and laboriously peddling the pernicious falsehood of “Taiwan’s status being undetermined”. This is a blatant challenge to the authority of the UN and the post-war international order, as well as a grave violation of the basic principles of international relaions, such as sovereign equality of states and non-interference in internal affairs.

I. Resolution 2758 of the UN General Assembly is inseparable from the one-China principle.

Resolution 2758 “decides to restore all its rights to the People’s Republic of China and to recognize the representatives of its Government as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations, and to expel forthwith the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek from the place where they unlawfully occupy at the United Nations and in all the organizations related to it.”

The resolution fully reflects the one-China principle. It makes clear that there is but one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China. It also makes clear that there is only one seat representing China in the UN and that the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate representative of the whole of China, including Taiwan. There is no such thing as “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan”.

After the adoption of UNGA Resolution 2758, all official UN documents referred to Taiwan as “Taiwan, Province of China.” It was clearly stated in the official legal opinions of the Office of Legal Affairs of the UN Secretariat that “the United Nations considers ‘Taiwan’ as a province of China with no separate status” and the “‘authorities’ in ‘Taipei’ are not considered to enjoy any form of government status”.

II. Taiwan being part of China is beyond dispute.

Taiwan has belonged to China since ancient times. This statement has a sound basis in history and jurisprudence. The Cairo Declaration in 1943, the Potsdam Proclamation in 1945, and Japanese Instrument of Surrender signed by Japan all confirmed China’s sovereignty over Taiwan, affirming both legally and factually that Taiwan is an integral part of China’s territory.

These histories and legal documents prove that Taiwan’s status was settled once and for all in 1945 when the Chinese people achieved victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Taiwan has never been an independent country, not in the past, not at present and still less in the future. Attempt to separate Taiwan from China once again will never be accepted by the 1.4 billion Chinese people or supported by the international community.

The only status quo of the Taiwan Strait is that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. The greatest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait comes from separatist activities for “Taiwan independence” and from external indulgence and support for such actions. To safeguard peace and stability in the Strait, it is essential to uphold the one-China principle and firmly oppose “Taiwan independence”.

III. The one-China principle is the political foundation of China-Mongolia relations

On October 16, 1949, just two weeks after the founding of the new China, our two countries established diplomatic relations. Mongolia was one of the earliest countries to recognize the People’s Republic of China.

During the 26th Session of the UN General Assembly in 1971, Mongolia,together with the other 75 countries, votedin favor of Resolution 2758, clearly demonstrating its just stance.

In 2014, China and Mongolia upgraded the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership. In the joint declaration, the Mongolian side reaffirmed that the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China and expressed firm support for China’s position on issues related to Taiwan, Xizang, and Xinjiang. Two months ago, during his meeting with President Xi Jinping, President Khurelsukh reiterated that Mongolia will continue to follow the one-China principle and firmly support China’s position on issues related to Taiwan, Xizang, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong.

China highly appreciates the Mongolian Government’s consistent and firm adherence to the one-China principle. We believe that China and Mongolia will continue to support each other on issues concerning each other’s core interests, jointly uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, safeguard international fairness and justice, and promote the sound and steady growth of the China-Mongolia comprehensive strategic partnership.