Mr. President,

The Chinese delegation firmly opposes inclusion of item 165 (A/62/193 and Add. 1, 2) into the agenda of the 62nd session of the General Assembly and firmly supports the recommendation made by the General Committee in its report. The recommendation conforms to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and GA Resolution 2758(XXVI), and reflects the common will of the overwhelming majority of Member States. Now, I wish to underscore the following three points:

1. There is only one China in the world and Taiwan is a part of China's territory. This is the common position of the United Nations and the overwhelming majority of its Member States. China is yet to be reunited, but the fact that both the mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China has never been changed. This is an objective reality that nobody can deny.

GA Resolution 2758(XXVI) adopted in 1971 has long resolved once and for all China's representation in the United Nations politically, legally and in terms of procedures. The political and legal meanings of this resolution are integrated and clear-cut. The scope of China's territory has never been changed since the founding of the United Nations. China's representation in the United Nations certainly includes Taiwan. It is futile for the Taiwan authorities and a very few countries to deny historical facts, take things out of context and attempt to distort and even deny GA Resolution 2758(XXVI).

The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization composed only of sovereign states. As a region of China, Taiwan is not entitled to UN membership in whatever name. No sovereign state in the world, including the co-sponsors, would allow one of its regions become a member of the United Nations.

2. The compatriots on the two sides of the Taiwan Straits have the same origin and ancestors and speak the same language. They share a common destiny and ride on the same boat. The 23 million Taiwan compatriots are part of the 1.3 billion Chinese people and Taiwan belongs to the entire Chinese people. No one cares more about the prospect and interests of Taiwan than the Chinese people. In consistent adherence to the fundamental principle of "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems", the Chinese Government has always 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 sincerely hope that the two sides of the Taiwan Straits would render mutual respect, cooperate for mutual benefit, and work together for a beautiful future of peace, stability, development and prosperity.

However, the Taiwan authorities, with a view to seeking selfish political gains, have deliberately provoked cross-Straits confrontation, intensified their separatist activities for "Taiwan independence", and frenziedly clamored for the so-called issue of "Taiwan's membership of the United Nations". Their purpose is to seek "de jure Taiwan independence". Such adventurous activities of separatist forces for "Taiwan independence", if not curbed in time, will seriously undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, gravely affect cross-Straits relations and severely threaten peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits. We will never tolerate "Taiwan independence" or allow anyone to separate Taiwan from China in whatever form.

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. Gambia and a very few other countries, instigated by the Taiwan authorities and in defiance of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and GA Resolution 2758(XXVI), have kept raising the so-called issue of "Taiwan's participation in the United Nations" at the GA sessions year after year. This is an act that seriously violates China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and gravely intervenes in China's internal affairs. The act is also a waste of the precious resources and time of the United Nations and a serious interruption of the normal work of the General Assembly. The Chinese Government and people strongly condemn and firmly oppose such an act.

China has never done anything harmful to the interests of the co-sponsors, but the co-sponsors have time and again trampled on internationally acknowledged truth and the one China principle widely recognized by the international community. Some countries even started to take an active part in activities aimed at splitting China as soon as they obtained their UN membership. We strongly urge the co-sponsors to change their positions and comply with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and GA Resolution 2758(XXVI). We urge them to cherish their international image and dignity, and refrain from seeking transient interests while being used by the Taiwan authorities for separatist activities aimed at "Taiwan independence".

Mr. President,

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 overwhelming majority of Member States support the Chinese Government in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, support the adoption of the General Committee's recommendation, and oppose inclusion of the so-called Taiwan-related proposal into the agenda of the 62nd session of the General Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. President.