Ministry slams attempts to bypass one-China principle

The international community's universal consensus on the one-China principle will not be changed by individual countries' encouragement of the Taiwan authorities, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Monday, after Pacific Island nation Palau attacked the United Nations for blocking the Taiwan authorities from its Ocean Conference.

A representative from Palau hit out at the UN on Friday for not allowing the Taiwan authorities to be part of its delegation list at the conference in Lisbon, Reuters reported.

"There is only one China in the world. Taiwan is part of China," Zhao said.

According to the one-China principle, Taiwan is not entitled to participate on its own in activities of the UN or UN specialized agencies, or in activities of other intergovernmental organizations that only sovereign states can join, Zhao told a daily news conference.

"It's only certain that the Taiwan authorities have failed to tag along and wedge in the conference," the spokesman said.

"Such self-demeaning behavior has been mocked by the international community."

Zhao had also commented twice late last month on the Taiwan authorities' failed attempt to participate in the conference as part of the delegation of Tuvalu, another Pacific Island nation.

China follows true multilateralism and supports parties in participating in the conference in line with relevant laws and rules, Zhao told a daily news conference on Wednesday.