China firmly opposes US passing of Taiwan-related act: FM spokesperson

China deems US passing Taiwan Non-Discrimination Act as interference, urges respect for one-China principle

BEIJING:

China strongly deplores and firmly opposes the United States passing the so-called Taiwan-related act, and has made serious representations to the US side, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.

It is reported that the US House of Representatives recently passed the Taiwan Non-Discrimination Act of 2023, requiring the Secretary of the Treasury to use America's influence in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to support Taiwan's membership in this organisation.

In response to a related query, spokesperson Mao Ning told a daily news briefing that the United States passed the so-called act to grossly interfere in China's internal affairs and attempt to manipulate the Taiwan question for political purposes to create "two Chinas" and "one China, one Taiwan." "We strongly deplore and firmly oppose this, and have made serious representations to the US side."

"Taiwan does not have any ground, reason, or right to join the UN, or any other international organisation whose membership is confined to sovereign states," Mao stressed.

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Mao noted that on Oct. 25, 1971, the 26th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted, with an overwhelming majority, Resolution 2758, which "decides to restore all its rights to the People's Republic of China and to recognise the representatives of its government as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations", and to expel forthwith the representatives of the Taiwan authorities "from the place which they unlawfully occupy."

Once and for all, UNGA Resolution 2758 resolved, politically, legally and procedurally, the issue of the representation of the whole of China, including Taiwan, at the UN. It also made it clear that there can only be one seat representing China at the UN, and that is the People's Republic of China, Mao said.

Over the past half century and more, Resolution 2758 has been observed by the UN, special agencies such as the IMF, and other international and regional organisations, Mao said, adding that any issues regarding the Taiwan region's participation in the activities of international organisations must be handled in accordance with the one-China principle.

The United States should fully understand the highly sensitive nature of the Taiwan question and immediately stop using the Taiwan question to interfere in China's internal affairs, sending wrong signals to the "Taiwan independence" forces and undermining China-US relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, Mao said.