‘There Is Only One China’

(Editor's Note: This is the full transcript of Pacific Magazine’s Graham Norris' interview with He Yafei, Director General of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of the People's Republic of China.)

Pacific Magazine: What are China’s goals in the Pacific?

He Yafei, China’s Director General of the Department of Northern American and Oceanian Affairs. Photo: AP Wide World Photos

He Yafei: China pursues an independent and peaceful foreign policy, for the purpose of protecting world peace and advancing mutual development. China and the Pacific Island nations are all developing countries, with a similar historical experience. They both are faced with the task of developing national economies and improving the peoples’ living standard, and they can work together on many issues of peace and development. We hope that based on the five principles of peaceful coexistence - namely mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit and peaceful co-existence - we can establish and develop friendly, cooperative relations with every Pacific Island nation.

It’s in the fundamental and long-term interests of the Pacific Island countries for the whole region to maintain peaceful stability and prosperous development. China supports the efforts by island nations to safeguard their sovereignty and independence and other legitimate rights and interests. It also supports their attempts to strengthen regional cooperation, and each country’s strengths. Furthermore, it supports island countries in protecting their environment and ocean resources, realizing sustainable development. We sincerely hope the Pacific Island nations have political stability and economic development, and that the people can live in peace and work contentedly. At present, China has established relations with seven Pacific Island nations, become a dialog partner the Pacific Islands Forum, and joined regional mechanisms such as the South Pacific Tourism Organization. Politically, China and Pacific Island countries have consistently respected each other and treated each other as equals. Economic and social development is complementary and based on mutual support . In international and regional affairs, we maintain good consultation and coordination, together safeguarding the interests of the developing countries. Facts prove that the development of relations between China and the Pacific Island countries have accorded with both sides long-term, fundamental interests.

In the past few years, the Pacific Islands Forum and its members have positively sought through regional cooperation to safeguard the region’s security, boost their economies and realize sustainable development. They are establishing and finalizing a “ Pacific Plan”.As a dialog partner, China is happy that all parties of the forum has made progress in strengthening regional cooperation and promoting regional integration, and it will continue to provide the necessary support and help in this regard. In October this year, the Chinese government will for the 16 th time dispatch a high-level representative to attend the Forum dialogue in Papua New Guinea. We are willing to strengthen cooperation with the forum and its members, and increase our contribution to regional stability and development.

PM: China’s aid to Pacific Island countries has been increasing as it grows economically. What does China expect in return for that aid? What can China do to help Pacific Island countries develop sustainable businesses?

HY: The Chinese government has consistently focused on developing its friendly and cooperative relations with Pacific Island countries, based on mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit . We sincerely hope that through mutually beneficial cooperation and learning from each other, China could be of help to individual countries in building their economies and developing their societies. For many years, China has, to the best of its abilities, provided assistance for island countries having diplomatic relations with it. The economic and technical cooperation has had excellent results.

China’s aid to the Pacific Islands does not have any political preconditions and its purpose is to support the development of those economies and help improve the livelihoods of the people. The aid projects are chosen based on the receiving country’s national economy and people’s needs. We have already helped island countries build important public infrastructure, such as the parliament building and agricultural school in Vanuatu, a multi-purpose sports complex in Fiji, a drinking water system in Samoa, high schools and university dormitories in Tonga and Papua New Guinea, among other projects. As well as providing development aid, we have also implemented a series of technological cooperation projects, such as for cultivating rice and vegetables, small-scale hydropower supplies, using solar-power and seafood processing. Moreover, we are working together to strengthen cooperation in human resources training. We provide technical courses in the fields of things such as fishing and economic management. We also offer scholarships for people to study in China. In this way, we can help island countries’ capacity-building In particular, in the past few years, China has sent medical specialists to island countries not only to offer medical services, but also to train local medical workers. It could be said that this help and technical cooperation has played a positive role in promoting the local economic and social development and improving their livelihood, and brought the local people tangible benefits.

Even though the scale of China’s economy is very different from those of Pacific Island countries, Pacific Islands also have their comparative advantages in economic and trade cooperation with China. In the past few years, bilateral trade has increased, doubling from US$267 million in 2000 to US$530 million in 2004. This shows that economic and trade cooperation has huge potential and prospects. Private investment and joint ventures are another way to cooperate, joining in with building up the local economy and contributing to the Pacific Island economies’ sustainable development. As China’s economy develops, China will continue to provide all the help it can, and encourage and support continued cooperation between reputable Chinese enterprises and Pacific Island countries through various methods.

PM: What do Pacific Island countries need to do to make the most of acquiring Approved Destination Status, for example in the cases of Fiji, Vanuatu and CNMI?

HY: China has one of the fastest-growing sources of tourists in the world. After Australia and New Zealand were opened to Chinese tourists in 1999, China joined the South Pacific Tourism Organization in April 2004. In the same year, China decided to give Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, and Cook Islands Approved Destination Status. This will help promote mutual understanding and friendship between Chinese and the people of those countries. Pacific Island countries have beautiful scenery and natural tourism resources that are very attractive to Chinese people. According to the market situation and the requests of relevant countries, China will consider giving Approved Destination Status to more Pacific Island countries. We believe tourism will become a new area to promote friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation.

PM: What can be done about the victimization of ethnic Chinese in Pacific Island countries where there is growing resentment of their business success, such as in the Marshall Islands? What is China doing about the increasing number of crimes committed by its nationals in Pacific Island countries?

HY: China and Pacific Island countries have a long-term relationship. As early as 200 years ago, some Chinese traveled across the sea to Pacific Island countries. In the long time since then, the Chinese in those countries have lived peacefully with the local people and contributed to local development.

The Chinese government has consistently supported various ways of friendly exchanges between Chinese people and the people of the Pacific Islands. The government has educated Chinese people to obey the laws of the countries they emigrate to, respect the local ethnic groups, culture and customs. Most Chinese living in other countries obey the law and work hard, promoting mutual understanding and friendship and improving the local economic and social development. We also hope that necessary measures be taken to ensure the safety of Chinese emigrants and their property in relevant countries.

Fiji's foreign minister is worried a new Cold War could develop in the Pacific region between China and Taiwan. How can China assuage these kinds of concerns among Pacific Island countries? Fiji and PNG spoke in favor of Taiwanese membership of the WHO this year, and Fiji allowed Taiwan's president to visit. How have these events affected China's relations with these two allies.

Taiwan is an inalienable part of China from ancient times . There is only one China in the world. The Government of the People’s Republic of China represents the only legal government of all of China. This is the common consensus of more than 160 countries and all the important international organizations including the United Nations. World Health Organization is an inter-governmental organization only open to sovereign states. Taiwan, as a province of China, has no right whatsoever to join the World Health Organization or be an observer.

The Taiwan question touches upon China’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and the national sentiment of the 1.3 billion Chinese people, which include Taiwan compatriots, and bears on China’s core interests. The Chinese government’s position on this question is firm and clear: we have always upheld the basic principle of “Peaceful Reunification and One Country, Two Systems” and the “Eight-Point Proposition on the development of cross-Straits relations in the current period and advancement of the process of peaceful reunification of the motherland. This year, President Hu Jintao came up with the “Four Points” to develop cross-Strait relations in the new circumstances . The National Peoples Congress adopted the Anti-Secession Law. The Chinese Communist Party invited the leaders of the parties in the Taiwan area that support the “One China” policy to visit the mainland. We also took a series of measure s to strengthen cross-Straits exchanges. We have made great efforts to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits and improve relations between the two sides, which have been welcomed by the people across the Straits and the international community. This shows our greatest sincerity to do all we can to realize the peaceful reunification of the motherland. But we oppose resolutely “Taiwan Independence” and will never allow anyone to separate Taiwan from China.

The Chen Shui-bian authorities stubbornly stick to “ Taiwan Independence”. They not only reject the “ One China” principle, but also engage in increasing splittist activities. This is the greatest imminent threat to the peace and stability of the Taiwan Straits and the whole Asia-Pacific region. We hope that the Pacific Island countries will continue to support China’s reunification and resolutely oppose Taiwan Independence The clearer the opposition of countries in the region to “Taiwan Independence”, and the more resolute that stance , the more it will benefit the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait and Asia-Pacific region.

We’re happy to see that the people of the Pacific support China’s lofty cause of reunification. Pacific leaders have reaffirmed that they will abide by the “One China”e policy and not establish any official ties with Taiwan. We believe that those countries and regional organizations will continue to adhere to the “One China” principle and handle the Taiwan question properly, ensuring the smooth development of bilateral relations and safeguarding peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

China has had some diplomatic setbacks recently in Nauru and Kiribati. How will this change how China deals with Pacific Island countries? By taking advantage of the economic problems of certain Pacific Island countries, The Taiwan authorities used “dollar diplomacy” and trapped them into developing official relations. This has created turbulence in some Pacific Island countries, damaging the region’s stability and met with strong opposition from the people of the region Certain countries in the region went back on their words on the Taiwan question and broke faith with China, not only violating China’s sovereignty and hurting the feelings of Chinese people, but also seriously damaging their own international image. We hope they follow the trend of the times, and at the earliest opportunity correct their mistake by concrete steps and return to the “One China” stance.

PM: Fears have been expressed recently in the U.S. and Australia about China’s rising influence in the region. How do you respond to these concerns?

HY: China has consistently pursued an independent and peaceful foreign policy, resolutely following the path of peaceful development, doing our best to develop equal and mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries. China’s development requires a long-term peaceful and stable international and neighboring environment, and its development is also increasingly contributing to the peace and development of the world, thus creating a win-win situation. China has been and will forever be an important force in world peace and no threat to any other country. In the Pacific, we have no intention of seeking self-interest or a sphere of influence in any form.

Pacific Magazine