How does the Chinese Government handle the relations between international organizations and Taiwan?
2003-11-25 10:58
It is known to all that the sovereignty and
territory of each State is an integral whole which is
indivisible and unsharable. The Government of the People's
Republic of China, as the sole legal government of China,
has the right and obligation to exercise state sovereignty
and represent the whole of China in international
organizations. Only on the premise of adhering to the
principle of one China and in the light of the nature and
statutes of the international organizations concerned and
the specific circumstances, can the Chinese Government
consider the question of Taiwan's participation in the
activities of such organizations in a manner agreeable and
acceptable to the Chinese Government.
Taiwan
is ineligible for membership in international organizations
composed of sovereign states. As to international
organizations with membership open to both sovereign states
and regions, Taiwan as a region of China has participated in
regional economic organizations such as the Asian
Development Bank (ADB) and the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC). Taiwan's participation is subject to the
terms of agreement or understanding reached between the
Chinese Government and the parties concerned which
explicitly prescribe that the People's Republic of China is
a full member as a sovereign state whereas Taiwan may
participate in the activities of those organizations only as
a region of China under the designation of Taipei, China (in
ADB) or Chinese Taipei (in APEC). This is only an ad hoc
arrangement and cannot constitute a "model"
applicable to other inter-government organizations or
international gatherings.
As regards
participation in non-governmental international
organizations, the relevant bodies of the People's Republic
of China may reach an agreement or understanding with the
parties concerned so that China's national organizations
would use the designation of China, while Taiwan's
organizations may participate under the designation of
Taipei, China or Taiwan, China.
But in recent
years, the Taiwan authorities have attempted lobbying for a
formula of "one country, two seats" in
international organizations whose membership is confined to
sovereign states. And since 1993, they have been clamouring
for "returning to the United Nations". This is a
manoeuvre to create "two Chinas" or "one
China, one Taiwan". The Chinese Government is firmly
opposed to such an attempt.
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