Chinese embassy in Israel lodges solemn representations following Knesset’s joint call on Taiwan’s participation in intl organizations

The Chinese Embassy in Israel expressed its firm opposition and has lodged solemn representations with the Israeli side on Friday after certain members of the Knesset jointly signed a statement calling for support for Taiwan's participation in some international organizations, which blatantly challenged the one-China principle. 

Taiwan's participation in international organizations and agreements under the UN framework must be handled in accordance with the one-China principle. Since coming to power, the Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities have obstinately pursued a separatist agenda for "Taiwan independence" and refused to recognize the one-China principle, thereby dismantling the political foundation for Taiwan's participation in the activities of organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the embassy said in a statement. 

A bipartisan group of 72 members of the Knesset signed a declaration Thursday condemning what they described as the "systematic and unjustified exclusion" of Taiwan from international forums, Israeli news site Ynetnews reported. 

As certain members of the Knesset took the lead in initiating such a statement, we cannot but ask: do they truly understand the implications of allowing the Taiwan authorities to join the international organizations they mentioned? the embassy asked. 

The DPP authorities' pursuit of so-called "international space" is, in essence, an attempt to expand the room for "Taiwan independence" and to propagate the fallacy of "one China, one Taiwan" or "two Chinas." The DPP authorities have stubbornly upheld the "Taiwan independence" stance, repeatedly engaging in separatist provocations, spreading fallacies about "Taiwan independence", and inciting cross-Straits confrontation and antagonism, according to the statement. 

This is the root cause of the current tensions and instability in the region. By supporting Taiwan's participation in international fora on an equal footing with sovereign states, are these Knesset members aligning themselves with the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces in an attempt to split China? Are they willing to become complicit in jeopardizing peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits? The embassy asked. 

"We cannot but ask: who is influencing these members of the Knesset, and what ulterior motives are they concealing?" the embassy said. 

The initiators of this statement, Boaz Toporovsky from Yesh Atid and Ohad Tal from the Religious Zionist Party, both visited Taiwan earlier this year, meeting with the so-called "Vice President" and "Foreign Minister." Upon returning to Israel, they engaged in mutual flattery with relevant figures of Taiwan on social media, openly referring to Taiwan as a "country." While the statement asserts that Israel adheres to the one-China policy, their actions blatantly contradict this policy. This is sheer self-deception. What truths are they trying to hide from the Israeli public? By what falsehoods did they mislead other Knesset members into co-signing this statement? read the embassy's statement. 

"We cannot but ask: in which direction do certain members of the Knesset intend to steer China-Israel relations?" the embassy asked. 

They claim that Israel shares common values of human rights and democracy with Taiwan, but the fact is that the DPP authorities are carrying out a "green terror" on the island, suppressing opposition forces as well as those who support peaceful cross-Straits development and exchanges. Where, then, is the freedom and democracy they tout? Does Israel truly intend to stand with the DPP authorities? The embassy said. 

The embassy also urged these members of the Knesset to open their eyes to global trends and the course of history. How many countries actually accept the so-called "democracy versus authoritarianism" narrative propagated by the DPP authorities? Such blatant support for the "Taiwan independence" separatist agenda clearly neither represents the official policy of the Israeli government toward China, nor reflects the original intentions of the Israeli people in electing them as their representatives, it said. 

The Taiwan question lies at the core of China's core interests and concerns the national sentiments of 1.4 billion Chinese people. No one should underestimate the Chinese people's strong determination, firm will, and powerful capability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, the embassy noted. 

"We urge certain members of the Knesset to stand on the right side of history and take actions that promote China-Israel relations and benefit the Israeli people, rather than the opposite," it said.