The Chinese government expressed strong indignation On July 24, 1996 over Nicaragua and a small number of other countries' proposal on Taiwan's so-called "representation" in the United Nations.

Cui Tiankai, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said that Nicaragua and a small number of other countries recently sent a letter to UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, openly disregarding history and bringing up the issue of Taiwan's so called "representation" in the UN.

Calling this a serious event which wantonly tramples on the UN Charter and its principles and interferes in China's internal affairs, the spokesman said the Chinese government and people strongly condemn such an action.

"The Taiwan issue is China's internal affair. We firmly oppose the interference in China's internal affairs by any country in violation of the guidelines of the UN Charter."

Cui continued that the United Nations is an international inter-government organization composed of sovereign states, and only sovereign states can become its members. Taiwan has been an inalienable part of Chinese territory ever since ancient times. As a province of China, Taiwan has no qualification whatsoever to join the UN in any form.

Twenty-five years ago, he noted, the 26th UN General Assembly adopted resolution No.2758 with overwhelming majority, which had far-reaching historic significance. The resolution not only restored all the legitimate rights of the People's Republic of China in the UN, but also fairly and thoroughly settled the issue of China's representation in the UN, therefore frustrating a small number of countries' conspiracy to create "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan" in the UN.

The Taiwan authorities, going against the historical trend and not content with their failure in the UN for three successive years, have again brought up the issue of so-called its participation in UN this year and made a great effort to draw in and buy over a small number of countries to work for their attempt.

What needs to be pointed out, the spokesman went on to say, is that the Taiwan authorities' splittist activities of creating "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan" have led to tensions across the Taiwan Straits. Such tensions, absent for many years, have directly affected Taiwan's economic development and social stability, seriously damaging the interests of Taiwan compatriots.

"Only when the Taiwan authorities really return to the principle of 'one China' and work earnestly to promote relations across the Taiwan Straits, can the happiness of the Taiwan people be fundamentally ensured. This will also bring about benefit to the people on both sides of the Straits and ensure a bright future for Taiwan."

The spokesman reaffirmed that the basic policy of the Chinese government in solving the Taiwan issue is "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems".

"We have all along stood for political negotiations on peaceful reunification across the Taiwan Straits. Under the prerequisite of one China, any issue including those the Taiwan authorities are concerned about can be discussed," Cui said.

However, Cui said, the Taiwan authorities have so far acted willfully and continued their activities attempting to separate the motherland, in collusion with international anti-China forces. Such acts will certainly meet with firm opposition from all the Chinese people including those in Taiwan, he said.

"We firmly believe that we will continue to have the understanding and support from other countries and from the UN in our just cause of safeguarding national sovereignty, territorial integrity and reunification of the motherland. And any scheme to set the interests of the Taiwan compatriots against the overall interests of the Chinese nation is doomed to failure," Cui concluded.