Taiwan is an inalienable part of China

The Taiwan question concerns China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

- By Zhang Zhen

It also bears on the sentiment of the 1.4 billion Chinese people. Misleading claims by some opinion or narratives in media require clarification of historical and legal realities.

Taiwan has been Chinese territory since ancient times. In July 1894, Japan launched a war of aggression against China. In April 1895, it was forced to be ceded, together with the Penghu Islands, to Japan by the Qing government of China. Later, the Cairo Declaration of 1943 and the Potsdam Proclamation of 1945 stipulated in clear terms that Taiwan, which Japan had stolen, shall be restored to China. And in September 1945, Japan signed the instrument of surrender undertaking to “carry out the provisions of the Potsdam Declaration in good faith”. In October of the same year, the Chinese government announced that it would “resume the exercise of sovereignty over Taiwan.” Thus, through the series of internationally legally binding documents, China has recovered Taiwan in law and in reality.