We have noted recent reports and comments in New Zealand media regarding private communications on issues related to the Taiwan question. The Taiwan question concerns China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and represents the very core of China’s core interests.
The one-China principle is a universally recognized consensus of the international community and a fundamental norm governing international relations. It also serves as the political foundation of China–New Zealand relations. Whether it is referred to as the one-China principle or the one-China policy, the essence remains the same—there is only one China in the world, rather than “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan”.
When China and New Zealand established diplomatic relations, the New Zealand side made a clear and solemn commitment on this matter. The Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and New Zealand explicitly states: “The Chinese Government reaffirms that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the People's Republic of China and that Taiwan is a province of the People's Republic of China. The New Zealand Government acknowledges this position of the Chinese Government. The New Zealand Government recognises the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China”.
Members of Parliament are not private citizens but political representatives in New Zealand. Their participation in events celebrating the so-called “National Day” of the “Republic of China” goes far beyond the scope of people-to-people, cultural or economic exchanges. Such actions constitute a serious breach of New Zealand’s one-China commitment. China has always respected the choice of the New Zealand people regarding their own political system and how it works. However, if China’s core interests are violated and the red line in China–New Zealand relations is crossed, that is an entirely different matter, which has nothing to do with democracy or how it operates.
Upholding the one-China commitment is crucial to maintaining political mutual trust between China and New Zealand. It is the precondition and foundation for the sound development of our bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields. We hope relevant parties in New Zealand will take more actions conducive to enhancing mutual trust and promoting mutually beneficial practical cooperation between our two countries, rather than the opposite — let alone persisting down the wrong path and making one mistake upon another.