On December 8, 2025, Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister, set forth the historical facts and legal bases of the Taiwan question during talks with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in Beijing.

Wang Yi said that the Japanese leader’s egregious remarks that Japan can deploy force in a “Taiwan contingency” grossly infringe China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, blatantly violate Japan’s commitments to China, directly challenge the victory of WWII and the postwar international order, and pose serious risks to peace in Asia and the world at large.

Wang emphasized that Taiwan has been part of China’s territory since ancient times.

The Cairo Declaration issued by China, the United States, and the United Kingdom in December 1943 explicitly demanded that all the territories Japan had stolen from the Chinese, including Taiwan, shall be restored to China after the end of WWII.

The Potsdam Proclamation, jointly signed by China, the United States, and the United Kingdom in July 1945 and later joined by the Soviet Union, stipulated in its Article 8 that the terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out.

On August 15, 1945, with Japan’s defeat in the war, the Japanese Emperor undertook to carry out the provisions of the Potsdam Proclamation in good faith and announced Japan’s unconditional surrender. On October 25, the Chinese government announced that it would resume the exercise of sovereignty over Taiwan, and held in Taipei a ceremony to accept Japanese surrender in the Taiwan Province of the China theater.

In 1949, the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China replaced the government of the Republic of China, became the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and thus naturally began to exercise sovereignty over all of China’s territory, including Taiwan.

In 1971, the 26th session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758, deciding to restore all the rights of the PRC in the U.N., and expel forthwith the representatives of the Taiwan authorities from the organization. The U.N.’s official legal opinion affirmed Taiwan as a province of China.

The 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Statement stated that the Japanese government recognizes the PRC government as the sole legal government of China, and fully understands and respects the stand of the Chinese government that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the People’s Republic of China. The Japanese government also undertook to firmly maintain its stand under Article 8 of the Potsdam Proclamation.

The 1978 Treaty of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan affirmed that the principles set out in the 1972 Joint Statement should be strictly observed.

Wang noted that these irrefutable facts prove as a matter of policy and law that Taiwan is part of China, and the status of Taiwan has been “sealed with seven locks.” Seeking “Taiwan independence” means splitting China’s territory, and supporting “Taiwan independence” means interfering in China’s internal affairs: such attempts violate both China’s Constitution and international law.

Wang said that in this 80th anniversary year of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Japan, as a defeated country, should repent for its war crimes and act with great prudence. Yet the leader of the country that had colonized Taiwan for 50 years and committed countless crimes against the Chinese people should have the audacity to make provocations over Taiwan and issue a threat of force against China. This is completely and utterly unacceptable! The Chinese people, together with all peace-loving people around the world, have a responsibility to uphold the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter, and an obligation to thwart Japan’s ambition to rearm itself and even revive militarism.