China and Africa have always been a community with a shared future. Shared historical experiences, common development tasks, and shared strategic interests have bound us together. The next meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be held in China this year. Chinese and African leaders will gather in Beijing again after six years. I believe that through this summit China and Africa will enhance long-standing friendship and deepen unity and collaboration to open up new vistas for faster common development and start a new chapter for a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

Why do China and Africa have such a close relationship and so deep a bond of friendship? The key lies in an everlasting spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation forged between the two sides. Despite rapid changes in the international landscape, China-Africa friendship has remained rock-solid and as strong as ever. We have fought shoulder to shoulder in the great struggle to win independence and uphold dignity. We have partnered with each other in pursuit of economic development and better lives for our peoples. And when it comes to issues involving the other side's core interests, we have made our position clear and given each other unequivocal support.

The Taiwan question is a case in point.

There is but one China in the world. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. The Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. The Taiwan question is at the core of the core interests of China.

 On 25 October 1971, the 26th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted, with an overwhelming majority, Resolution 2758, and the decision was made to restore all rights of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations and to recognize the representatives of the Government of the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations. 

The UNGA Resolution 2758 was a victory for the Chinese people and a victory for people of the world. The restoration of New China's lawful seat in the United Nations was a momentous event for the world and the United Nations. It came as the result of joint efforts of all peace-loving countries that stood up for justice in the world. We remain grateful to all countries including African Countries that co-sponsored and supported UNGA Resolution 2758, The late Chinese leader Chairman Mao once pointed out, "It is our African brothers who have carried us into the United Nations." 

Kenya was a strong supporter of UNGA Resolution 2758 back in 1971 and has always beer firmly committed to the one-China principle. 

In the Joint Communique Between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Kenya signed in April 2006, the President of China and President of Kenya agreed to continue to support each other over issues concerning sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Kenya side reiterated that there is but One China in the world, the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing China and Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. The Kenyan Government expressed its opposition to "Taiwan independence" in any form and expressed its support for China's efforts to realize national reunification. The Chinese side highly appreciated the position of the Kenyan side. 

In the Joint Statement by Foreign Ministers of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Kenya signed this January, H.E. Mudavadi reiterated the need for respect for territorial and sovereignty of nations. Kenya reaffirmed that there is but one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and the one-China principle is a universally recognized basic norm governing international relations and a prevailing international consensus. 

China highly appreciates Kenya's adherence to the one-China principle and non-interference in internal affairs as a basic norm governing international relations. I wish to take this opportunity to express sincere gratitude to all distinguished guests present here today and all those who have long cared for China and supported China-Kenya relations. China stands ready to work with Kenya to jointly building an even closer China-Kenya community with a shared future in the new era for the benefit of our two countries and two peoples. 

Taiwan is part of China. The one-China principle represents the universal consensus of the international community, it is consistent with the basic norms of international relations. It is where global opinion trends and where the arc of history bends. To date, 183 countries including the United States have established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China on the basis of the one-China principle. The China-US Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations, published in 1978, states: "The Government of the United States of America acknowledges the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China." It also states: "The United States of America recognizes the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China. Within this context, the people of the Unites States will maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan." 

However, today the Taiwan region of China is holding a so-called "president-elect" inauguration event. Taiwan has never been a country and there is no such thing as "president of Taiwan". After the elections in the Taiwan region this January, over 180 countries and international organizations, including Kenya, reaffirmed their commitment to the one-China principle. The elections of the Taiwan region are just local elections in one part of China. Whatever the results of the election, the basic fact that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China will not change; and the international community's prevailing consensus on upholding the one-China principle will not change. 

Taiwan is China's Taiwan. The Taiwan question is China's internal affair. Upholding the one-China principle is safeguarding international order. Challenging the one-China principle is challenging international order and is interfering in China's internal affairs and infringing upon China's sovereignty, and will face the joint opposition of the Chinese people and the international community. 

Recently, the prevailing international consensus was challenged and China's baseline and red line on the Taiwan question was stepped on. At a seminar held by a US think tank, Mark Lambert, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs and China Coordinator said that Resolution 2758 does not endorse, equate to, or reflect an international consensus on the one-China principle and has absolutely no bearing on countries' sovereignty choices with respect to their relationships with Taiwan. He said the resolution did not preclude Taiwan's meaningful participation in the UN system and other multilateral fora and did not constitute a UN institutional position on the political status of Taiwan. 

Mark Lambert's remarks are a total distortion of the resolution and facts. They misrepresent the history, and tread upon the international law and basic norms of international relations. It is shocking and outrageous that a US State Department official overseeing China-US relations would speak so irresponsibly and brazenly tell and spread lies. As a matter of fact, both the three China-US joint communiques, and the President Biden's commitments state that, the US should not support "Taiwan independence", "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan" and not use Taiwan as a tool to contain China. 

Resolution 2758 stated in black and white that it "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 which they unlawfully occupy at the United Nations and in all the organizations related to it." The resolution made it clear that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, including Taiwan, at the UN; Taiwan is not a country but a part of China's territory. It makes clear Taiwan's status as a non-sovereign entity. UNGA Resolution 2758 resolved once and for all politically, legally and procedurally the issue of the representation of the whole of China, including Taiwan, at the UN. The resolution also made clear that there can only be one seat representing China at the UN and precluded the possibility of "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan." 

Since the adoption of the resolution, the one-China principle has been observed by the UN and its specialized agencies on the Taiwan question. 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' for all purposes to be an integral part of the People's Republic of China", "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." Taiwan is referred to as "Taiwan, province of China" in all UN's official documents. 

The Taiwan region's participation in the activities of international organizations must and can only be handled in accordance with the one-China principle. The United Nations is an intergovernmental international organization composed of sovereign states. Taiwan, a province of China, has no basis, reason or right to join the UN or its relevant agencies. This is stipulated in the UN Charter and is the principle that all UN member states must follow and an obligation that they should fulfill. 

The separatist activities for "Taiwan independence" are the most destructive elements to the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. To truly safeguard peace, we must unequivocally oppose "Taiwan independence". The stronger the commitment to the one-China principle is, the greater the guarantee for the peace across the Strait will be. 

When Taiwan was invaded by a foreign power more than 100 years ago, China was a poor and weak country. Almost 80 years ago, in 1945, China defeated the invaders and recovered Taiwan. Today, China has grown into the world's second largest economy. With significant growth in its political, economic, cultural, technological, and military strength, there is no likelihood that China will allow Taiwan to be separated again. Attempts to reject reunification and split the country are doomed, because they will founder against the history and culture of the Chinese nation as well as the resolve and commitment of more than 1.4 billion Chinese people. 

China's policy is quite clear. We will continue to strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity. Peaceful reunification and One Country, Two Systems are our basic principles for resolving the Taiwan question and the best approach to realizing national reunification. 

China's bottom line is also quite clear. We will never allow Taiwan to be separated from the motherland. Whoever in the world support "Taiwan independence", challenging China's sovereignty, will get burned for playing with fire. Relying on external forces will achieve nothing for Taiwan's separatists, and using Taiwan to contain China is doomed to fail. 

As the Constitution of the People's Republic of China stipulates, "Taiwan is part of the sacred territory of the People's Republic of China. It is the inviolable duty of all Chinese people, including our compatriots in Taiwan, to accomplish the great task of reunifying the motherland." 

National reunification by peaceful means is the first choice of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government in resolving the Taiwan question, as it best serves the interests of the Chinese nation as a whole, including our compatriots in Taiwan, and it works best for the long-term stability and development of China. We have worked hard to overcome hardships and obstacles to peaceful reunification over past decades, showing that we cherish and safeguard the greater good of the nation, the wellbeing of our compatriots in Taiwan, and peace on both sides. 

Once peaceful reunification is achieved under One Country, Two Systems, it will lay new foundation for China to make further progress and achieve national rejuvenation. At the same time, it will create huge opportunities for social and economic development in Taiwan and bring tangible benefits to the people of Taiwan. 

Peaceful reunification of China is of benefit not only to the Chinese nation, but to all peoples and the international community as a whole. The reunification of China will not harm the legitimate interests of any other country, including any economic interests they might have in Taiwan. On the contrary, it will bring more opportunities to all countries; it will create more positive momentum for prosperity and stability in the Asia-Pacific and the rest of the world; it will contribute more to building a community with a shared future for mankind, promoting world peace and development, and propelling human progress.

By Ambassador Zhou Pingjian at the Symposium on the Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era (May 20, 2024, Nairobi).