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‘One China’ not part
of talks: MOFA
RUNNING INTERFERENCE: MOFA was responding to
comments made by the Chinese embassy in Manila to a newspaper that fishery talks
must defer to the ‘one China’ policy
By Shih Hsiu-chuan / Staff reporter
The talks Taipei has had with Manila regarding the Kuang Ta Hsing No. 28
incident and related issues were “a matter between the Republic of China (ROC)
and the Philippines,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Anna Kao (高安)
said yesterday. Kao said the ROC does not accept the “one China” policy being
applied to talks conducted between the ROC and the Philippines because they
“have nothing to do with ‘one China.’”
She made the remarks when asked about a statement the Chinese embassy in Manila
made on Tuesday to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, which the newspaper reported
yesterday, that governments should defer to Beijing’s “one China” policy.
Kao said that the ministry was still looking into the authenticity of the
statement.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer said the Chinese embassy made the statement when
asked by the newspaper to comment on the start of Manila and Taipei’s fishery
talks.
“The Chinese government has no objection to the non-governmental economic and
cultural contacts between Taiwan and foreign countries that have diplomatic
relations with China, but we oppose foreign countries and Taiwan having official
exchanges or signing agreements with sovereign and official implications,”
Chinese embassy spokesperson Zhang Hua (張華) said.
“We have always required and hoped that the countries that have established
diplomatic relations with China abide by their commitments to adhere to the ‘one
China’ policy,” Zhang said, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Officials from Taipei and Manila reached a consensus at a meeting last week on
four points on dealing with fishing disputes in overlapping waters to prevent a
repeat of the Kuang Ta Hsing No. 28 incident in which Philippine Coast Guard
personnel shot at the Taiwanese boat, killing fisherman Hung Shih-cheng (洪石成).
Included in the consensus was a pledge to refrain from the use of force or
violence against fishermen from the other side when handling fishing disputes in
overlapping waters and to continue discussions on signing a provisional
arrangement on fishing rights in the area.
Both sides have decided to hold another meeting early next month on related
issues.
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