One-China principle a firm global trend

China said on Monday it stands ready to work with Nauru to open new chapters in their bilateral relations on the basis of the one-China principle after the Pacific Island nation announced that it is severing "diplomatic ties" with the Taiwan authorities and is willing to reestablish diplomatic relations with China.

In a statement released on Monday, the government of Nauru said it will follow United Nations Resolution 2758, which recognizes the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government representing the whole of China and recognizes Taiwan as an inalienable part of China's territory.

The Nauru government stated that the country will no longer develop any official relations or official exchanges with the Taiwan region, which now only maintains so-called "diplomatic relations "with 12 countries.

Speaking at a regular news briefing in Beijing on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said that China appreciates and welcomes the decision made by Nauru as an independent sovereign country.

Noting that China has established diplomatic relations with 182 countries on the basis of the one-China principle, Mao said that Nauru's decision "once again shows that the one-China principle is where global opinion trends and where the arc of history bends".

Chen Binhua, a spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said that it is a prevailing consensus among the international community that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's sacred territory.

"We appreciate the correct choice made by the relevant country in conforming to the trend," he said.

At the news briefing, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman also appreciated public remarks made by Russia, Indonesia, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Hungary and other countries and international organizations that reiterated their adherence to the one-China principle and opposition to any form of "Taiwan independence".

"It is the call for justice and peace that shows the international community's broad consensus on upholding the UN Charter and the basic norms governing international relations," Mao said.

The spokeswoman said that whatever changes take place in Taiwan, the basic fact that there is only one China in the world of which Taiwan is a part will not change.

"We firmly believe that the Chinese people's just cause of opposing 'Taiwan independence' separatist activities and external interference and striving to achieve national reunification will be understood and supported by more," she said.

Mao said that China firmly opposes the United States interfering in Taiwan affairs in any way or under any pretext, after a delegation sent by US President Joe Biden's administration met on Monday with Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen and the region's "president-elect "Lai Ching-te.

"We urge the US side to handle Taiwan-related issues with the greatest prudence, stop fudging or hollowing out the one-China principle in any form and stop sending any wrong signals to the separatist forces for 'Taiwan independence'," Mao said.

According to the spokeswoman, a series of legal instruments, including the Cairo Declaration of 1943, have made it a historical and legal fact that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory.

"Though the mainland and Taiwan have yet to reunify, China's sovereignty and territorial integrity have never been divided. This is the true status quo in the Taiwan Strait. The complete reunification of our country will be realized and Taiwan will return to the motherland," Mao said.