Mr. President,

The Chinese delegation firmly opposes inclusion of item 165 (A/62/193 and Add. 1, 2) of the draft agenda into the agenda of the 62nd session of the General Assembly. In the letter(A/62/268)addressed to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 16 August, I have stated comprehensively the solemn position of the Chinese Government on this issue. Now, I wish to underscore the following three points:

1. There is only one China in the world and Taiwan has been a part of China's territory since antiquity. This is a reality widely recognized by the international community. Although China is not yet reunited, the fact that both Taiwan and the mainland belong to one and the same China has never been changed.

GA resolution 2758 adopted in 1971 explicitly stipulates that the representatives of the Government of the People's Republic of China are the only legitimate representatives of China in the United Nations. This resolution has very clear political and legal meanings. It is based on the important prerequisite that China is an undivided country and Taiwan is an integral part of China.

The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization composed only of sovereign states. As a region of China, Taiwan is not entitled to apply for UN membership in whatever name. No sovereign state in the world, including the co-sponsors, would allow one of its regions to apply for UN membership. The General Committee of the successive sessions of the General Assembly since 1993 has all flatly rejected inclusion of the so-called issue of "Taiwan's participation in the United Nations" into the agenda of the General Assembly.

2. No one cares more about the prospect and interests of the 23 million Taiwan compatriots than the Chinese Government. In consistent adherence to the fundamental principle of "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems", the Chinese Government has made every effort and worked with utmost sincerity to deliver benefits to the compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits and strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification. We have taken a series of major measures to improve cross-Straits relations, worked vigorously to safeguard the lawful rights and interests of the Taiwan compatriots in other countries, and provide facilitation for exchanges between the Taiwan region and other parts of the world. This has received the support of the compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits and won the wide acclaim of the international community.

We sincerely hope that the two sides of the Taiwan Straits would render mutual respect, cooperate for mutual benefit, strengthen people-to-people contacts, enhance economic exchanges and trade, and expand cooperation in all fields to work together to build a beautiful homeland for people across the Straits.

However, the Chen Shui-bian authorities, with a view to seeking benefits for their party and leaders themselves, have been deliberately provoking cross-Straits confrontation, and intensifying their efforts to seek the so-called "constitutional reengineering", "referendum on Taiwan's membership of the United Nations" and push for "de jure Taiwan independence". The "Taiwan independence" forces and their separatist activities remain the biggest obstacle to cross-Straits relations and constitute the biggest threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and in the Asia Pacific region.

The 23 million Taiwan compatriots are part of the 1.3 billion Chinese people and Taiwan belongs to the entire Chinese people. Any decision on issues concerning China's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be jointly made by the 1.3 billion Chinese people. It serves the fundamental and long-term interests of the compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits to oppose and curb the "Taiwan independence" forces and their separatist activities and maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

3. Respect for state sovereignty and territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs is one of the cardinal principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The Taiwan question is purely an internal affair of China. It should be resolved by the Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits and brooks no foreign interference. We strongly urge the co-sponsors to comply with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and GA resolution 2758, cherish the international image and dignity of their own countries, and refrain from seeking their own interests by playing the despicable role of supporters for "Taiwan independence" forces who intend to split China. I am confident that the overwhelming majority of countries would firmly oppose the United Nations becoming a venue for China's separation. The farce which has been staged in the GA sessions for 15 consecutive years should long have been stopped.

The Chinese Government highly appreciates the right position adopted by the United Nations and the vast number of Member States in adhering to the one China principle. We believe that the General Committee of the 62nd session of the General Assembly will, as always, flatly reject inclusion of the abovementioned Taiwan-related proposal into the agenda of the General Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. President.