People may be amazed by how often the island Taiwan, located at the South-East part of China, make headlines on international media, usually followed by some absurd rhetoric accusing China of unilaterally changing the status quo across the Taiwan Strait through force or coercion and of disrupting peace and stability across the Strait. Those who know the truth would also find how such claims go against basic common sense of international relations and historical justice.

    Taiwan has been part of China’s territory since the ancient times, and it has never been a country, nor will it ever be. This is the real status quo of the Taiwan question. In 1895, Japan launched an invasion against China and forced the then Qing government to cede control of Taiwan. In 1943, the Cairo Declaration stated in explicit terms that all the territories Japan has stolen from the Chinese shall be restored to China. The UNGA Resolution 2758 adopted in 1971 resolved once and for all the representation of the whole of China, Taiwan included, within the UN. These legally-binding international instruments have fully restored Taiwan to China, both de jure and de facto. Although the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are yet to realize complete reunification, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China have never been divided, nor can they be. There is but one China. When blaming China for trying to change the status quo, those people intentionally warp the true status quo.

    That said, who are practically touching the status quo, forcing China to use military drills as a deterrence?  It is not the Chinese mainland, but the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces and a handful of countries attempting to take advantage of “Taiwan independence”, that are disrupting international rules, unilaterally changing the status quo, and undermining stability across the Strait. Their definition of rules, status quo and stability is in fact aimed to hollow out the one-China principle, achieve “peaceful division” of China, and ultimately tamper with the history of WWII, subvert the post-war order, and trample on China’s sovereignty. Taiwan’s return to China is a component of the post-war international order, written in black and white in the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation. China will not lose any part of its territory that has been restored. And the established post-war international order will not be upended. To be blunt, it is a habitual trick for some certain countries to pose a provocative gesture at first, wait for the others to take legitimate defensive actions, and portrait themselves as victims. Just imagine a thief crying “stop the thief!” I believe that this disgraceful tactic is despised by the majority of the international community.

    Some forces in the US insist on perceiving and portraying China as a major strategic adversary and a serious long-term threat. They do their utmost to undermine and pressurize China, exploiting Taiwan as a convenient tool. The US authorities have stated that they remain committed to the one-China policy and that they do not support "Taiwan independence". But their actions contradict their words. This is a major threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. I have to introduce how the US has renegade on its own words and repeatedly touch the red line of China despite strong opposition.

    It is stated crystal-clear in the three China-US Joint Communiqués—the 1972 Shanghai Communiqué, the 1978 Communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations, and the August 17 Communiqué of 1982—that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China, and the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal Government of China. Successive U.S. administrations have clearly reaffirmed their commitment to the one-China policy and several U.S. Presidents have stated their opposition to Taiwan "independence". All these have been kept on record. However, rather than faithfully abiding by its commitments on Taiwan, they have kept backpedalling on history. They are clouding the one-China principle in uncertainty and compromising its integrity. They have added the so-called “Taiwan Relations Act” and the “Six Assurances” to the expression of its one-China policy, with a growing list of such prefixes. Both prefixes are unilaterally made by them in breach of the commitments in the three China-US joint communiqués as well as the one-China principle affirmed in the UNGA Resolution 2758 and widely observed by the international community. They are contriving "official" exchanges with Taiwan, increasing arms sales, and colluding in military provocation. To help Taiwan expand its "international space", they are inducing other countries to interfere in Taiwan affairs, and concocting Taiwan-related bills that infringe upon the sovereignty of China. They are creating confusion around what is black and white, right and wrong. On the one hand, they incite separatist forces to create tension and turmoil in cross-Straits relations. On the other hand, they accuse the mainland of coercion, pressurizing Taiwan, and unilaterally changing the status quo, in order to embolden these forces and create obstacles to China's peaceful reunification. It is fair to say that with their interference and connivance, “Taiwan independence” forces have grown and expanded, undermining the hard-earned prospect of peaceful development of cross-Strait relations. 

    The one-China principle is the universal consensus of the international community. To date, 182 countries including Grenada, have established diplomatic relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle. Since China and Grenada resumed diplomatic ties in 2005, both the Grenadian Government and the two major political parties of Grenada have emphasized their commitment to this fundamental principle and have taken concrete actions to implement it. Chinese side highly appreciates this stance. And with this solid basis, the bilateral relations between the two countries have developed smoothly, with fruitful outcomes of practical cooperation and promising future that benefit the two nations and two people.

    Of all the major countries in the world, China is the only one that is yet to realize complete reunification. National reunification is the shared wish and aspiration of all the Chinese sons and daughters. We have always worked with the greatest sincerity and effort to pursue peaceful reunification. But we will never tolerate any activity aimed at secession. We reserve the option of taking all necessary measures. Reunification is the trend of history and the aspiration of the 1.42 billion Chinese people. We advocate for all parties to stand on the right side of history and secure the genuine peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait.