Kathmandu— China is urging the Secretariat of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) to uphold the one-China principle concerning Taiwan’s potential attendance at upcoming meetings, according to a statement released Tuesday by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun. The call comes after reports that Taiwan may participate in the annual PIF leaders meeting scheduled for Palau from August 30th to September 4th – an event where its presence was blocked last year following Chinese protests. China maintains that any participation by Taiwan must align with the one-China principle, a stance it says is grounded in international norms.

PIF Meeting and Taiwan's Potential Attendance

Reports indicate that Taiwan has been invited to attend this year’s PIF leaders meeting in Palau. Last year, however, Taiwan was excluded from the annual meeting hosted by the Solomon Islands due to objections raised by China.

China's Stance on Taiwan's Participation

Spokesperson Guo Jiakun reiterated China’s consistent position regarding Taiwan’s involvement in international organizations. He stated that such participation must be handled in accordance with the one-China principle, which he described as a fundamental norm of international relations. This principle is based on UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 and represents a broad international consensus.

China hopes the PIF Secretariat will address Taiwan-related issues appropriately to ensure continued positive development between China and the forum.

(With inputs from Xinhua)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.