GABON IN THE MIDDLE: The ministry accused Beijing of using bilateral meetings to pressure other countries and urged Gabon not to fall for political manipulation
- Staff writer, with CNA
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday condemned China over false statements undermining the sovereignty of the Republic of China (ROC), Taiwan, saying that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are not subordinate to each other, and that this is a fact that cannot be changed.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Friday following talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema that included the central African country’s reaffirmation of its adherence to the “one China principle” and what MOFA called a distortion of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758.
UN Resolution 2758, adopted in 1971, does not mention Taiwan. It addresses the issue of China’s UN representation. Beijing interprets the resolution as giving it the right to represent Taiwan.
The logo of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is pictured at the ministry in Taipei in an undated photograph.Photo: Taipei Times
MOFA accused the Chinese government of repeatedly using bilateral meetings to pressure other countries into making statements that undermine the ROC’s sovereignty.
The ROC is a sovereign, independent country and Taiwan has never been ruled by the People’s Republic of China (PRC), MOFA said, adding that only the nation’s democratically elected government has the right to represent its people internationally, including within the UN system.
MOFA also accused China of seeking to undermine the international order by inserting its “one China principle” into bilateral documents it signs with other countries.
It urged Gabon not to fall for Beijing’s political manipulation.