TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Taipei Representative Office in the U.K. (駐英國台北代表處) strongly refuted remarks made by Chinese Ambassador Zheng Zeguang (鄭澤光) on Monday (Oct. 27), accusing him of distorting historical facts and misinterpreting U.N. documents and international law. Zheng wrote to British media on Sunday (Oct. 26), claiming that Taiwan's independence undermines peace in the Taiwan Strait and that Taiwan's return to China was a significant outcome of World War II.
Zheng urged the U.K. not to forget history, asserting that when the U.K. established diplomatic relations with China in 1972, it had made a commitment to China. He further claimed that U.N. General Assembly Resolution 2758 had resolved the issue of China's representation. Zheng called on the U.K. to handle Taiwan-related issues prudently and follow Beijing's "One China" principle to ensure stable Sino-British relations.
However, the Taipei Representative Office clarified that the 1972 U.K.-China Joint Communiqué only "acknowledged" China's position on Taiwan as a province of the People's Republic of China, not "recognized" it. The office emphasized the significant difference between "acknowledgment" and "recognition," accusing Zheng of deliberately misleading the international community. Regarding Resolution 2758, the office stated it only addressed China's representation at the U.N., without mentioning Taiwan or its sovereignty.
The office expressed gratitude to U.K. officials for clarifying in Parliament last November that Resolution 2758 should not exclude Taiwan from meaningful participation in the U.N. or the broader international system. They warned against China's inappropriate linking of the "One China" principle with Resolution 2758, which threatens the post-war international order. The office also noted Taiwan's democratic governance and independent systems, highlighting Taiwan's status as a sovereign state since 1912.