Don’t use Taiwan’s Double Tenth holiday to undermine the one-China principle, Beijing tells Indian media

Letter from Chinese embassy in New Delhi reminds ‘media friends that there is only one China in the world’
While Taiwan aligns itself to India in advertisements featuring Tsai Ing-wen, China says ‘leader of China’s Taiwan region’ should not be called president

China-India relations

Kinling Loin Beijing

Published: 3:42pm, 8 Oct 2020

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The Chinese embassy in New Delhi has issued a letter reminding Indian media to follow the “one-China” principle ahead of Taiwan’s Double Tenth national holiday.

The self-ruled island will celebrate the 109th anniversary of its official name – Republic of China – on Saturday, called the Double Tenth, as it falls on the 10th day of the 10th month, the date of the Wuchang uprising in 1911. In 1912 the first democratic republic was set up by the Nationalists, or Kuomintang, in China before they retreated to Taiwan in 1949 after losing the civil war.

Indian media reported on a letter issued by the press office of the Chinese embassy in New Delhi on Wednesday referring to the “so-called forthcoming ‘National Day of Taiwan’”. The letter said the delegation “would like to remind our media friends that there is only one China in the world, and the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China”.

It is not clear how many Indian media organisations received the letter, but according to an email seen by the South China Morning Post, the letter was sent to 254 journalists.

Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu signed off in a tweet on Wednesday night: “#India is the largest democracy on Earth with a vibrant press & freedom-loving people. But it looks like communist #China is hoping to march into the subcontinent by imposing censorship. #Taiwan’s Indian friends will have one reply: GET LOST! JW”

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Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway province to be brought into the mainland’s fold, by force if necessary. Cross-strait relations have become especially intense as Taiwan emerges as a geopolitical battleground in deteriorating China-US relations.

According to Indian media reports, the embassy’s move followed full-page advertisements placed by the Taiwanese government in two Delhi-based newspapers ahead of the anniversary, which featured an image of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and the slogan “Taiwan and India are natural partners”.

The Chinese embassy in New Delhi has been contacted for comment.

The letter from the Chinese embassy urged Indian media to abide by the Indian government’s position recognising China’s “one-China principle” and gave specific guidelines.

“In particular, Taiwan shall not be referred to as a ‘country (nation)’ or ‘Republic of China’ or the leader of China’s Taiwan region as ‘President’, so as not to send the wrong signals to the general public,” the letter said, adding that the embassy is “willing to maintain communication with media friends on China-related reports”.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Beijing tries to influence India’s take on Taiwan

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