On June 15, 2023, Chinese Chargé d'affaires a.i. in Lithuania, Mr. Qu Baihua, published an op-ed in Lithuanian newspaper Lrytas entitled "The G7's attempt to use Taiwan as a tool to contain China is doomed to fail". The full text is as follows:

The G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting and Summit in 2023 were held in Japan from April to May. It is disappointing that the G7 did not seize this opportunity to make due contributions to world peace and development, but instead went further down the path of provoking camp confrontation and undermining regional peace, going against the trend of the world. The G7 has failed to reflect on its history of unilaterally changing other countries' situations by force, but instead pointed fingers at China's internal affairs regarding the Taiwan Strait situation, attacking and smearing China for "unilaterally changing the status quo in the Taiwan Strait" without reason or justification for China's legitimate measures to safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity. The G7 attempts to hype up the Taiwan issue, create a permanent split between both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and achieve its goal of "using Taiwan as a tool against China." Since the Taiwan issue is the crux of the problem that affects China-Lithuania bilateral relations, I would like to use this article to raise clarity and help Lithuanian readers to correctly understand the origin of the Taiwan issue and the real status quo in the Taiwan Strait, and to clarify why the one-China principle is the political basis for the establishment and development of diplomatic relations between China and the countries concerned.

Firstly, the history of the Taiwan issue is clear and the juridical fact that Taiwan is part of China is clear and unambiguous. Taiwan has been an inseparable part of Chinese territory since ancient times. As early as 1335, the Yuan Dynasty, the central government of China, formally established an administrative authority in Taiwan and began effective governance. In 1895, Japan forced the Qing government defeated in the Sino-Japanese War to cede Taiwan and Penghu Islands. In 1943, China, the United States and Britain issued the Cairo Declaration which clearly stipulated that Japan's stolen Chinese territories including Taiwan and Penghu Islands should be returned to China. This is the first time that the international community has recognised Taiwan as Chinese territory and resolved the issue of Taiwan's belonging and status after China's demand for the recovery of Taiwan. In July 1945, China, the United States and Britain jointly issued the Potsdam Proclamation, reaffirming the spirit of the Cairo Declaration and once again confirming China's sovereignty over Taiwan in terms of international law. On 25 October of the same year, the Chinese Government declared that it had "resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Taiwan" and that China had recovered Taiwan de jure and de facto.

On 1 October 1949, the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China was proclaimed, replacing the Government of the Republic of China as the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China. This was a change of regime without any change in China as a subject of international law; China's sovereignty and inherent territorial boundaries remained unchanged and the Government of the People's Republic of China fully enjoyed and exercised China's sovereignty, including sovereignty over Taiwan. Subsequently, due to continued civil war in China and external interference, some military officials from the Kuomintang regime retreated to Taiwan province within Chinese territory and established a base there with support from the United States. This led to a prolonged political standoff across the Taiwan Strait; however, China's sovereignty and territorial integrity have never been divided nor will they ever be allowed to be divided. The status of Taiwan as part of Chinese territory has never changed nor will it ever be allowed to change.

Secondly, the one-China principle is the universal consensus of the international community and the basic norm of international relations, and is also the political basis for the establishment and development of diplomatic relations between China and the countries concerned. in October 1971, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758, making it clear that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing all of China, and expelling the Taiwan authorities " representative " from the seat it illegally occupies. This resolution resolved once and for all, politically, legally and procedurally, the issue of the representation of the whole of China, including Taiwan, in the United Nations, making it clear that there is only one seat for China in the UN and that there is no question of "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan", confirming the The one-China principle has been confirmed.

The application of the one-China principle is universal, unconditional and unquestionable. All countries that have established diplomatic relations with China and all UN Member States should unconditionally abide by the one-China principle and comply with UNGA Resolution 2758. Any attempt to distort, deflate or hollow out the one-China principle by adding various prefixes and suffixes to it is illegal and invalid. The G7 slanders China for "unilaterally changing the status quo in the Taiwan Strait" on the implicit premise that the secession by the Taiwan authorities is "legitimate and legal" and that the relationship between the Taiwan authorities and the central government is "on an equal footing". "This premise is totally wrong and is a serious misinterpretation of international law. In essence, it is a denial of the one-China principle, an obstruction of China's reunification and the creation of a "one China, one Taiwan" or "two Chinas" state of division, which is a shameless interference in China's internal affairs and a deliberate challenge to the basic principles of international law and the basic norms of international relations.

Thirdly, the true status quo in the Taiwan Strait cannot be questioned or tampered with by external forces. China has indisputable sovereignty over the Taiwan region, and its sovereignty and territorial integrity have never been and will never be allowed to be divided. The two sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to the same China, and the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing all of China, including Taiwan. The Taiwan authorities are not representative and are merely an illegal local regime that opposes the central government. This is the true status quo of cross-strait relations, which cannot be questioned by external forces, nor can it be tampered with by any group.

It must be pointed out that it is not mainland China that is unilaterally trying to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, undermine international rules and destabilize the Taiwan Strait, but the "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces and the G7 that are trying to make use of "Taiwan independence". The root cause of the current tense and turbulent situation in the Taiwan Strait is precisely that the Taiwanese authorities have repeatedly "leaned on foreign countries for independence", engaged in "de-Chineseization" and promoted progressive "Taiwan independence";  The US-led G7 has been distorting and hollowing out the one-China principle, trying to manipulate the Taiwan issue to make Taiwan a "battlefield", creating a "powder keg" in the Asia-Pacific region, and using Taiwan as a pawn to interfere in China's internal affairs and curb China's development and progress. The "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces and the G7 are the creators of cross-strait conflicts, the destroyers of the status quo and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and the perpetrators of harm to the interests of the people of Taiwan.

Fourthly, if the G7 wants to truly maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, it must abandon its attempt to "use Taiwan to control China", resolutely oppose "Taiwan independence", return to the original meaning of the one-China principle, and abide by the political commitments made to China. "Taiwan Independence" and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are incompatible, and "Taiwan Independence" is a rebellious current in history and an obstacle that must be removed in the process of promoting peaceful reunification. In order to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, we must clearly adhere to the one-China principle, oppose the separation of "Taiwan independence" and oppose external interference. The fact that the G7 only talks about maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait but not about opposing "Taiwan independence" is in essence a connivance and support for "Taiwan independence" activities, which will definitely have a serious impact on peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese government and the Chinese people are resolutely fighting against the separatist forces of "Taiwan independence" and resolutely countering the collusion between the United States and Taiwan, which is a just act to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and in the world.

Fifthly, the complete national reunification of China is a major trend and a historical necessity. In the face of the national righteousness of national reunification, the Chinese people have the backbone of not believing in evil and not being afraid of ghosts, the will that cannot be defeated or crushed, the determination of all people to work together and the ability to resolutely defend national sovereignty and national dignity. China will never leave any room for the secession of "Taiwan independence" or for interference by external forces such as the G7. We urge the G7 to respond to the general trend of the times, focus on solving their own problems, stop engaging in closed and exclusive "small circles", stop containing and suppressing other countries, stop creating and provoking confrontations, and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, including China. No matter how the G7 and other external forces support and condone "Taiwan independence", they will ultimately be left with a basket full of empty and will only leave more ugly records in their history of brutal interference in the internal affairs of other countries.