International

Explainer: Why Taiwan is an inalienable part of China

On the day of its founding on October 1, 1949, the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) made clear one principle governing the establishment of diplomatic relations with a foreign country.

That is: that country must recognize the government of the PRC as the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China, severs or refrains from establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan authorities.

As the one-China principle gained popular support, in October 1971, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758, which expelled the representatives of the Taiwan authorities and restored the seat and all the lawful rights of the government of the PRC in the UN.

In 1971, the 26th session of UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 with a landslide majority, restoring the lawful seat of the People’s Republic of China with all its legitimate rights. (Photo: Xinhua)

In September 1972, China and Japan announced the establishment of diplomatic relations, with Japan fully understanding and respecting the Chinese government’s position that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the PRC.

Then in December 1978, China and the United States issued the Joint Communique on the establishment of diplomatic relations, in which the U.S. “recognizes the government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China” and “acknowledges the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is a part of China.”

Today, 181 countries have established diplomatic relations with the PRC and they all acknowledge the one-China principle and are committed to handling their relations with Taiwan within the one-China framework.

Taiwan has belonged to China since ancient times

Many historical records and annals documented the development of Taiwan by the Chinese people in earlier periods. References to this effect were to be found, among others, in Seaboard Geographic Gazetteer compiled more than 1,700 years ago by Shen Ying of the State of Wu during the period of the Three Kingdoms. This was the world’s earliest written account of Taiwan.

Chinese governments of different periods set up administrative bodies to exercise jurisdiction over Taiwan. As early as in the mid-12th century the Song Dynasty set up a garrison in Penghu, putting the territory under the jurisdiction of Jinjiang County of Fujian’s Quanzhou Prefecture. The Yuan Dynasty installed an agency of patrol and inspection in Penghu to administer the territory. During the mid- and late 16th century the Ming Dynasty reinstated the once abolished agency and sent reinforcements to Penghu in order to ward off foreign invaders.

In 1662 (under Qing Emperor Kangxi), General Zheng Chenggong instituted Chengtian Prefecture on Taiwan. Subsequently, the Qing government expanded the administrative structure in Taiwan. In 1727 (under Qing Emperor Yongzheng), the administration on the island was reconstituted as the Prefecture Administration of Taiwan and incorporated the new Penghu Canton. The territory then became officially known as Taiwan. In 1885 (under Qing Emperor Guangxu), the government formally made Taiwan a full province.

Japan’s historical wrongdoing about Taiwan

In April 1895, through a war of aggression against China, Japan forced the Qing government to sign the unequal Treaty of Shimonoseki, and forcibly occupied Taiwan.

In July 1937, Japan launched an all-out war of aggression against China. In December 1941, the Chinese government issued the Proclamation of China’s Declaration of War Against Japan, announcing to the world that all treaties, agreements and contracts concerning Sino-Japanese relations, including the Treaty of Shimonoseki, had been abrogated, and that China would recover Taiwan.

In December 1943, the Cairo Declaration was issued by the Chinese, U.S. and British governments, stipulating that Japan should return to China all the territories it had stolen from the Chinese, including northeast China, Taiwan and the Penghu Archipelago.

Potsdam Proclamation, a document issued by China, the United States and Britain on July 26, 1945 in demand of Japan’s unconditional surrender in WWII was accepted by Japan in the 1945 Japanese Instrument of Surrender. (Photo: Xinhua)

The Potsdam Proclamation signed by China, the U.S. and Britain in 1945 (later adhered to by the Soviet Union) stipulated that “The terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out.” In August 1945, Japan surrendered and promised that it would faithfully fulfill the obligations laid down in the Potsdam Proclamation.

On October 25, 1945, the Chinese government recovered Taiwan and the Penghu Archipelago, resuming the exercise of sovereignty over Taiwan.

The Taiwan question

Taiwan, which was returned to China de jure and de facto at the end of the Second World War, became a question only as an aftermath of the ensuing anti-popular civil war started by Kuomintang, and more especially because of intervention by foreign forces.

An airplane flies over the roof of Taipei 101, in Taipei, China’s Taiwan region, October 17, 2019. (Photo: VCG)

As the Chinese leadership has said, the Taiwan question arose out of the weakness and chaos of the Chinese nation, and it will be resolved as national rejuvenation becomes a reality.

International

Xi’s metaphoric vision on APEC family

Article from China Daily

President Xi Jinping is attending the 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Lima, Peru, where leaders from across the Asia-Pacific have convened to chart strategies for shaping the region’s future.APEC gatherings, renowned for blending economic discussions with cultural exchanges, often feature leaders donning local attire for the iconic “family photo”. This no-tie tradition is seen as a way to cut down on the formality that high-level meetings usually involve.

In these meetings, Xi’s remarks showcase not only his eloquence but also his wit, vividly conveying his vision for Asia-Pacific cooperation. Over the years, his incisive words and catchphrases have offered fresh perspectives on advancing regional growth and fostering deeper collaboration among APEC members.

On growth

During the 2016 APEC gathering, also held in Lima, Xi used an analogy to describe the relationship between China and the wider Asia-Pacific region, comparing it to sweet potatoes, a food native to Latin America.

He explained that while the vines of sweet potatoes may stretch in all directions, they all grow out of their roots. “Similarly, no matter what level of development it may reach, China, with its roots in the Asia-Pacific, will always contribute to the region’s development and prosperity.”That metaphor holds even truer today.Since joining APEC in 1991, China has become a key trading partner and export market for the majority of APEC members. According to China Customs, China’s trade with APEC economies reached a historic high, surpassing 21 trillion yuan ($2.92 trillion) in the first 10 months this year, marking a 5.7 percent increase from the previous year and accounting for 59.1 percent of China’s total trade.

In its efforts to promote free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific and beyond, China has reduced its overall tariff level to 7.3 percent.”China cannot develop in isolation from the Asia-Pacific while the Asia-Pacific cannot prosper without China,” the Chinese leader made these remarks when he debuted at the APEC stage in Bali, Indonesia, in 2013, highlighting the interconnected growth of the region.Connectivity stands out as one key theme of Xi’s vision for Asia-Pacific development.

He once invoked a concept from traditional Chinese medicine to illustrate APEC cooperation: when there is free flow, there is no pain; when there is pain, there is no free flow. “Connectivity makes the economic arteries of the Asia-Pacific flow more smoothly,” he explained.During his 2013 trip to Indonesia, Xi proposed the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, a pivotal component of the Belt and Road Initiative, and proposed plans for establishing the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to support the BRI.

To date, more than half of APEC’s 21 economies have engaged in Belt and Road cooperation, with signature projects like the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway in Indonesia and Chancay Port in Peru aiming to help strengthen trade networks and drive growth across the region.”

President Xi has put forward a series of proposals and initiatives to enhance Asia-Pacific regional cooperation, and the BRI is a major one to promote regional comprehensive connectivity,” said Liu Chenyang, director of the APEC study center at Tianjin-based Nankai University.”

These efforts led by President Xi have also shown the world China’s determination to take root in the Asia-Pacific and benefit the region in the long run,” Liu said.

While hosting the 2014 APEC meeting by Yanqi Lake in Beijing’s northern suburbs, Xi compared the 21 APEC economies to 21 swan geese.The lake got its beautiful Chinese name because the migrant swan geese would flock there for rest each spring and autumn. In Chinese culture, swan geese symbolize faithfulness, resilience and determination, flying in unison toward a shared destination despite great distances.”

We are meeting here at Yanqi Lake to enhance cooperation and embark on a new flight to shape a new vision for the development of the Asia-Pacific region,” he said. “A lone goose cannot make a formation.”As a steadfast champion for unity, Xi called on APEC economies to stay committed to mutually beneficial cooperation and fully leverage each other’s strengths to promote development for all.

“We should replace the ‘winner-take-all’ mentality with an all-win approach and work together for great development and prosperity of our region,” he noted.Founded in 1989, APEC was designed to foster economic growth and facilitate free trade and investment across the Asia-Pacific region. Throughout the years, thanks to the joint efforts of its members, the Asia-Pacific region has served as a vital engine of the world economy, driving what Xi has called “the Asia-Pacific miracle”.

The latest IMF data show the region contributes approximately 60 percent to global economic growth.The APEC economies, covering several continents and home to one-third of the world’s population, vary significantly in their development paths and economic conditions.

Acknowledging the differences and divergences among those in the region, Xi emphasized, “Those who cherish the same ideals and follow the same path can be partners, and so can those who seek common ground while reserving differences.”In 2014, under Xi’s chairmanship, APEC economies endorsed a road-map to advance the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, initially proposed in 2006 in Hanoi, Vietnam. This endorsement was widely viewed as a milestone, marking the official start of efforts to transform a broad vision into concrete actions aimed at elevating Asia-Pacific regional economic integration to a new level.Sharing Xi’s vision, Montri Mahaplerkpong, executive board member of the Federation of Thai Industries, said, “Adhering to the objective of driving APEC together, whether in big, small or medium-sized economies, we have plenty of room in this world to move the economy forward together, as long as we have the will to make it better.”

“I believe all 21 APEC member economies could do hand-in-hand collaboration by seeking common ground while shelving differences,” said Montri.On shared future“I was looking at the vast ocean when I boarded the ship, and it struck me that we are all indeed fellow passengers in the same boat,” Xi said while addressing the 2018 APEC CEO Summit hosted at a distinctive setting — onboard the giant cruise Pacific Explorer in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.”

As we brave the rough waters of the global economy and confront the many risks and challenges, it is all too befitting that we have come together on this ship to chart the course for future development and cooperation,” he noted. APEC has faced unprecedented challenges in recent years, from trade frictions to geopolitical tensions. Against this backdrop, Xi has consistently championed genuine multilateralism and warned against antagonism and confrontation.

“The Asia-Pacific is no one’s backyard and should not become an arena for big power contest,” he emphasized in the 2022 Bangkok meeting.During the 30th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting held in San Francisco last year, Xi posed a critical question: “Where will Asia-Pacific cooperation be headed in the next 30 years?” And he has provided an answer with Chinese insights — build an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future.”Community” has always been the keyword of Xi’s foreign policy. At his APEC debut in 2013, Xi urged member economies to strengthen “the sense of community of common destiny”.

Five years later in Port Moresby, he advocated for jointly building “a community with a shared future in the Asia-Pacific” to address common challenges.In 2020, as the world grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout, Xi, while attending the annual APEC gathering via video link, elaborated on his vision to build an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future featuring openness and inclusiveness, innovation-driven growth, greater connectivity and mutually beneficial cooperation.

The 2020 meeting saw APEC members adopt the Putrajaya Vision 2040 as the guiding framework for future work, calling for the creation of an open, dynamic, resilient and peaceful Asia-Pacific community.As Xi prepares to join other Asia-Pacific leaders for discussions under the theme of “Empower. Include. Grow,” observers have set their expectations for the ongoing annual meeting in Lima.

“The role of APEC in facilitating dialogue among political and economic leaders is more crucial than ever at this time of growing protectionism and economic decoupling,” said Hans Hendrischke, professor of Chinese business and management at the University of Sydney Business School.

China has always been active in pushing emerging market economies and developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region to realize more efficient development, said Dora Isabel Gonzalez, a researcher at the Faculty of Higher Studies of the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Acatlan.

“I believe President Xi’s trip to Peru will strongly promote economic, trade and investment cooperation and sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region and even globally,” said Gonzalez.

International

Chinese vice premier calls for strengthening early warnings for all at COP29

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s special representative Ding Xuexiang, also China’s vice premier, on Tuesday called for strengthening early warning systems for all and enhancing climate adaptation capacity when addressing a high-level meeting held by China on early warnings during the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Ding, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that China attaches great importance to international cooperation on meteorological early warning and President Xi has made specific requirements on this issue.

In recent years, climate change has had an increasing impact globally, with frequent extreme weather events posing unprecedented challenges to the safety of people’s lives and property as well as to economic and social development, Ding said, adding that strengthening early warning systems for all and enhancing climate adaptation capacity have become increasingly important and urgent.

China is willing to work with all countries to advance the implementation of the United Nations’ Early Warnings for All initiative, make new and greater contributions to addressing climate change, Ding said. He further proposed three points.

First, jointly improving global risk assessment capabilities and promoting the standardization of climate risk assessments to provide scientific support for climate governance.

Second, jointly building a global early warning network, sharing technology, enhancing system interconnectivity, and working to improve global early warning systems.

Third, jointly establishing a climate adaptation partnership. Ding said that China will develop and implement a South-South cooperation flagship project for early warning in response to climate change, supporting other developing countries through the provision of meteorological observation equipment, early warning systems, and capacity-building training.

COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev, the UN secretary-general’s Special Adviser on Climate Action and Just Transition Selwin Hart, World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Celeste Saulo, and Kamal Kishore, the UN secretary-general’s special representative for disaster risk reduction and head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, also attended the meeting and delivered speeches.

During the meeting, China’s Action Plan on Early Warning for Climate Change Adaptation (2025-2027) was published. Article from CGTN

International

Port heralds a bright future for China and Peru

Article from China Daily

“‘From Chancay to Shanghai’ has become a popular phrase, heralding the broad future of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries,” President Xi Jinping said when meeting with Peruvian President Dina Boluarte Zegarra in Beijing in June. In Spanish, Chancay and Shanghai sound similar.

As a flagship Belt and Road cooperation project, the Chancay Port, located about 78 km north of Peru’s capital Lima, is set to be inaugurated soon. Once in operation, it will become a major maritime gateway and a crucial hub in the South Pacific, shortening the sea freight time from South America to Asia by half, from around 45 days to 23.

The port will bridge Latin America and Asia as a new channel in November and is one of the flagship projects under the #BeltandRoad Initiative in #LatinAmerica.