Chinese FM: Taiwan was never and will never be a country

The only reference to the Taiwan region in the UN is "Taiwan, Province of China." Taiwan has never been a country, not in the past, and never in the future, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday during a press conference on the sidelines of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing.

History and reality affirm that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, Wang said, adding that supporting "Taiwan independence" is interfering in China's internal affairs, and condoning "Taiwan independence" is undermining the stability of the Taiwan Straits.

The principle of sovereignty is the cornerstone of the UN Charter, and no country or person should have double standards, Wang said.

Upholding the one-China principle means opposing any form of "Taiwan independence," he said, stressing that realizing China's complete reunification is a shared aspiration of the Chinese people.