Singapore backs one-China 'policy,' not one-China 'principle': Taiwan

Taipei, Nov. 20 (CNA) A top Taiwanese diplomat said the decision to describe a Chinese foreign ministry statement on Singapore's Taiwan policy as "erroneous" was because the city state has its own "one-China policy" and has not followed China's "one-China principle."

Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang (田中光) said Wednesday it has been a longstanding practice for the People's Republic of China (PRC) to speak on other countries' behalf concerning Taiwan.

The latest example, Tien said, was a statement issued by the PRC after a meeting between Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Nov. 15 on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru.

A China foreign ministry statement after the meeting said "Singapore fully understands the Chinese government's position on the Taiwan question, opposes any form of 'Taiwan independence,' and firmly abides by the one-China principle."

A separate statement issued by Singapore's foreign ministry after the same meeting said, however, that "Singapore has a clear and consistent 'One China' policy and is opposed to Taiwan independence."

Tien said the difference between the two statements and Beijing replacing the phrase one-China "policy" with "principle" was further proof of the PRC's "disinformation warfare."

Tien's comments Wednesday came in response to requests by lawmakers at a legislative session to clarify why the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) issued a statement on Nov. 16 criticizing China's statement on the Xi-Wong meeting.

In MOFA's statement, it said China's statement concerning Taiwan on the Xi-Wong meeting was "unmistakably false."

Chang Ching (張競), a retired Navy captain and Taipei-based research fellow with the think tank Society for Strategic Studies, R.O.C., accused MOFA, however, of mischaracterizing what the Singapore statement actually said.

Singapore said in fact that it followed "one China" and opposed Taiwan independence when writing about the Wong-Xi meet, Chang argued, prompting lawmakers' questions and Tien's response.

"The One-China principle" is the position held by the PRC and the ruling Chinese Communist Party that there is only one sovereign state under the name China, with the PRC serving as the sole legitimate government of that China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of that China.

Taiwan's official name is the Republic of China (ROC).

Some countries around the world that have diplomatic ties with the PRC instead of the ROC usually have their own versions of a "one-China policy" instead of simply following Beijing's "one-China principle."

The different countries' "policy" generally do not overtly accept that Taiwan is a part of China, as is the case with the "principle."

The United States for instance, says its one-China policy is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the three U.S.-China Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances.

"We oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side; we do not support Taiwan independence; and we expect cross-Strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means. We continue to have an abiding interest in peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," the U.S. Department of State website says.

Singapore's cross-strait policy is similar to that of the U.S., with Singapore's leaders consistently saying that the city state maintains a "One-China" policy and opposes Taiwanese independence.

It has carefully maintained ambiguous wording to describe its policy, other than in a joint statement on bilateral cooperation released by Singapore and the PRC in April 2000.

That statement said: "Singapore recognizes that there is only one China and that Taiwan is part of China. The Government of the Republic of Singapore recognizes the Government of the People's Republic of China."