11 Aug 2004

China chides Pacific nations who recognise Taiwanese government

11:09 am on 11 August 2004

China says it hopes that the five Pacific states which recognize Taiwan will see which way the world is going and change their stance.

The five are Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands, Palau and Kiribati.

The Vice Foreign Minister Zhu Wenzhong told journalists at the Post Pacific Forum Dialogue in Apia, that Taiwan is using dollar diplomacy to win the backing of these states.

He made the comments when announcing 50 million US dollars in funding for the Asian Development Bank for poverty reduction and regional cooperation.

Mr Zhu says he hopes the five countries will realise that the United Nations long ago decided that the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government for Taiwan.

"We hope they will realise that this would be in their long-term interest. China is ready and we have no difficulty in normalising our relations with them. The only obstacle of course is the question of Taiwan."