Tibet on its mind, India backs China on Taiwan

“India has never supported Taiwan independence or UN membership,” Sarna said, recalling that India’s consistent policy in this regard was conveyed to Beijing most recently during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to China earlier this year.

Taiwan, which had separated from mainland China following a civil war in 1949, held the UN seat under the name of Republic of China till 1971 before that seat was given to Beijing by the UN General Assembly. Taiwan is now planning to hold a referendum sometime next month to decide whether to seek a UN membership under the name Taiwan.

Beijing considers Taiwan as part of its territory and is pledged to reunite it with the mainland.

Explaining the Indian position, Sarna made it clear that India does not support Taiwan’s case for independence. “The Government of India follows One China policy and does not have diplomatic or official relations with Taiwan.”

However, India has allowed Taiwan to set up a trade office here and visas too are issued for visits. Last year, a presidential candidate of Taiwan’s Kuomintang party, Ma Ying-jeou, was also here on a quiet visit.

The MEA spokesperson also pointed to the joint vision statement issued during the Prime Minister’s visit to Beijing in January. “The two sides stated, and I could quote, ‘the Indian side recalls that India was among the first countries to recognise that there is one China… The Indian side states it will continue to abide by One China policy and oppose any activity that is against One China principle’,” he said.

The statements assume significance in the wake of Chinese action in Tibet and India’s reserved criticism to it. While the Tibetan government in exile works out of Dharamsala, India is cautious not to let this issue adversely affect the Sino-Indian relationship.

Taiwan, however, is one issue where India can express its open solidarity with China and New Delhi clearly does not wish to fall behind on this.