Chinese Foreign Ministry Responds to Taiwan's Claims on Historical Sovereignty

In a recent statement, Mao Ning, the spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, addressed claims made by an official from Taiwan’s foreign affairs department. The official suggested that the Treaty of San Francisco, created after World War II, superseded other declarations about the status of Taiwan, asserting that it did not transfer the island to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and that the PRC has never exerted governance over it. Mao countered these assertions, labeling them as misleading and reflective of the Taiwan authorities' separatist agenda, specifically pointing to their pursuit of "Taiwan independence."

Mao emphasized that Taiwan's return to China is a significant outcome of World War II and an essential aspect of the postwar global order. He referenced various international legal documents, including the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, which collectively support China's claim to Taiwan. According to Mao, the notion that Taiwan belongs to China is established and cannot be disputed.

Additionally, Mao criticized the Treaty of San Francisco, deeming it an illegitimate agreement formed by the United States and a few other nations, excluding both the PRC and the Soviet Union, in their pursuit of a separate peace with Japan. He argued that this treaty contravened international law and the 1942 United Nations Declaration signed by multiple allied nations, affirming China's sovereignty and territorial rights regarding Taiwan.

Mao voiced concern that the Lai Ching-te authorities in Taiwan have ignored China’s historical grievances stemming from World War II and are recklessly reinterpreting its history. He asserted that regardless of any proclamations or actions from Taiwan’s leadership, the historical and legal reality that Taiwan is part of China cannot be altered. He concluded by stating that the consensus within the international community supporting the one-China principle remains unchanged, and that the re-unification of China, including Taiwan, is an inevitable outcome.