One-China principle meets shared aspiration of people: spokesperson

BEIJING - The resumption of diplomatic ties between the governments of China and Kiribati fully demonstrates that the one-China principle meets the shared aspiration of the people and constitutes an irresistible trend of the times, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang said Saturday.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Kiribati's President and Foreign Minister Taneti Mamau on Friday signed a communique on resuming diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level between the two countries at the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.

Geng stressed that there is but one China in the world, that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government that represents the whole of China and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory.

"This is an objective fact, a universally recognized norm of international relations and a general consensus of the international community," Geng said.

The government of the Republic of Kiribati recognizes and undertakes to stay committed to the one-China principle, sever the so-called "diplomatic relations" with Taiwan authorities and resume diplomatic relations with China. "We support this important decision which Kiribati government has made on its own as an independent sovereign state," Geng said.

"This again fully demonstrates that the one-China principle meets the shared aspiration of the people and constitutes an irresistible trend of the times," Geng added.

Relations between China and Pacific island nations are maintaining rapid growth. People of the two countries hold amicable feelings toward each other, he said. "It is the common expectation of all sectors of Kiribati to resume diplomatic relations and strengthen cooperation with China. It is in the fundamental and long-term interests of the two countries and peoples."

China stands ready to strengthen pragmatic cooperation and friendly exchanges with Kiribati in various fields on the basis of the one-china principle and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence to benefit the two countries and peoples, said the spokesperson.