Burkina Faso’s to Cut Diplomatic Ties with Taiwan，“One China” Policy Enjoys Growing International Recognition

By Tong Liqun

China appreciates the West African country Burkina Faso’s decision to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan, said a Foreign Ministry spokesperson in Beijing on Thursday.

“We welcome Burkina Faso to join in China-Africa friendly cooperation as soon as possible on the basis of the one-China principle,” said spokesperson Lu Kang.

Burkina Faso has cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan, Alpha Barry, its foreign minister, said earlier on Thursday in the capital city of Ouagadougou, Xinhua reported. Barry said the Burkinabe embassy in Taiwan will be closed.

Since Cai Yingwen took office, Sao Tome, Principe, Panama, Dominica and Burkina Faso have all announced the decision to sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan in last two years, leaving Taiwan with only 18 diplomatic “allies”.

According to Taiwan Central News Agency on May 16, US senator Marco Rubio, who is pro-Taiwan and anti-China, said at a senate foreign relations committee hearing that Paraguay is likely to be the next country that will sever “diplomatic” relations with Taiwan, and questioned whether US administrative departments have clearly sent out US concerns over this issue to countries including Honduras, Guatemala and Paraguay

Alex N. Wong, deputy Assistant Secretary of Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs replied that the US was disappointed that Taiwan had not been invited to the World Health Assembly (WHA).

The hearing seemed to be a representation of US stance and attitude towards helping Taiwan maintaining “diplomatic relations” with other countries.

However, the simple fact is that Dominica has successfully established diplomatic relations with China, the WHA once again refused to invite the current leadership of the Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to the assembly, and Burkina Faso has cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan. To put it simply, the US failed to help it out. The present Taiwan authority, and pro-Taiwan US officials, should accept the fact that against the backdrop of increasing recognition by the international community and consensus over the “One China” policy, the plans of the Taiwan separatists are doomed to fail.

The Number of Taiwan’s Diplomatic Allies Hit the Bottom

After Burkina Faso cutting diplomatic ties with Taiwan, Taiwan only has 18 diplomatic “allies”. These changes are reflected in the situation as below:

The decision to sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan is the conscious decision of most countries. As Dominican Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas said, it is the right thing to do, and important step forward, for the Dominican Republic to forge diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, and the Dominican Republic is now standing with the other 175 countries that support UN General Assembly Resolution 2758.

These countries do not choose to establish diplomatic relations with China for short-sighted reasons like economic aid, but for the long term development of their international relations. Establishing diplomatic relations with China is not part of some kind of “deal”. Juan Carlos Varela, President of Panama emphasized that Panama has not asked China for anything or set any preconditions for the establishment of diplomatic relations.

International Organizations Are Becoming Firm Supporters of the “One China” Policy

The leaders of Taiwan’s DPP regularly criticize mainland China for preventing Taiwan from joining international organizations, but the fact is that according to most charters, Taiwan, as a “non-sovereign” region, could not join these international organizations, even if mainland China did not oppose it.

Second, the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 is the key legal basis of international organizations’ insistence on the “One China” policy. After this resolution came into effect, Taiwan representatives were removed from their seats on UN organizations.

The World Health Organization as a specialized agency of the UN should abide by the “One China” policy, confirming that the People’s Republic of China is the only recognized representative of China.

More Countries and Enterprises Are Supporting “One China” Policy through Practical Actions

More and more countries are willing to ask themselves whether their practices are in accordance with the “One China” policy, and are willing to make good any deficiency. In 2017, Nigeria asked the current leaders of the DPP to close its representative office in Abuja, the nation’s capital, and to move its trade mission and functions to Lagos with a skeleton staff. It also prohibited Nigerian government officials from having any official interaction and exchanges with Taiwan. Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama pointed out that “Taiwan will stop enjoying any privileges because it is not a country that is recognized under international law and under the position we have taken internationally, we recognize the People’s Republic of China, the One-China Policy.” It is quite obvious that Nigeria does not intend to sever all the relations with Taiwan, but to develop non-official relations with Taiwan in a clearer way.

Transnational corporations are beginning to respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in their actions. The Civil Aviation Administration of China（CAAC）has written to 36 foreign airline companies recently to point out that in accordance with the “One China” policy, these companies should not list Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao as “nations” on their websites or in published materials. Several foreign corporations have apologized for listing Taiwan as a “nation” and have made the appropriate adjustments to their materials.

The “1992 Consensus” is the Only Way for Taiwan

Being “unqualified for official participation” does not mean that Taiwan has no space for flexible participation. In the past, under the precondition of accepting the 1992 Consensus, Kuomintang leader Ma Yingjiu and mainland China were able to reach an agreement acceptable to both parties through negotiation that with the help of mainland China, Taiwan can participate in certain international organizations in some form, for example, attending the WHA as an “Observer”. The 1992 Consensus is the door through which Taiwan can participate in international activities. But so long as the DPP leadership refuses to admit the 1992 Consensus and the One China policy, Taiwan will find itself excluded from more international organizations and activities in the foreseeable future. Cases like the WHA will only grow more frequent.

Tong Liqun, assistant research fellow of Institute for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Studies, Shanghai Institute for International Studies

Editor: Zheng Nan, Cai Hairuo 

The article represents the author’s personal opinion which does not represent the China Focus’ stance.