The Embassy of China in Belgium rejects and opposes the recent adoption of a resolution by the Flemish Parliament making unwarranted comments on Taiwan-related matters.

Taiwan has been an integral part of China since ancient times. As reaffirmed by the UN resolution 2758 in 1971, the government of the People’s Republic of China is the only legitimate government representing the whole of China. Taiwan is an inseparable part of the Chinese territory. Over the years, this has become a widely recognized international consensus. It is the consistent and clear-cut position of the Chinese side that Taiwan region’s participation in international organizations must be dealt with in line with the one China principle. As Taiwan is not a sovereign state, it has no place in the WHO, ICAO, or any other international organization whose members are comprised of sovereign states. China is firmly opposed to the signing of any agreement or cooperation document of sovereign implications with the Taiwanese authorities.

The one China principle is the political foundation of China-Belgium relations. Taiwan-related matters are China’s internal affairs. The Chinese side urges the Belgian regional parliament to abide by the one China principle and work to promote China-Belgium relations and sub-national exchanges and cooperation.