Screenshot of China's embassy in France's website

China expressed firm pposition to a planned trip of some French senators to the island of Taiwan, stating that there is only one China in the world, no matter under whichever name French senators decide to pay an official visit to the Taiwan region, they are in serious violation of the one-China principle applied by France. 

"It will not only damage China's core interests and undermine China-French relations, but will also damage France's own reputation and interests," the spokesman of the Chinese Embassy in France said in a statement on the embassy's official website on Thursday.

According to French media outlets reports, a delegation of French senators consisting of Alain Richard, Max Brisson, André Vallini, Olivier Cadic, and others have announced plans to visit the island of Taiwan from October 4 to 11 this year, which was resolutely rejected by the Chinese Embassy in France.?

Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and the government of the People's Republic of China is the only legal government representing all of China. The one-China Principle is a fundamental norm of international relations and the political basis for the establishment and development of diplomatic relations between China and the rest of the world, said the Chinese embassy in France.

"Refraining from any form of official contact with the Taiwan authorities is the meaning inherent in respecting the one-China principle," the spokesman stressed in a response.

The embassy pointed out that the French Senate is a major French state institution. Senators have official status and are expected to strictly apply official French state policy. "A visit by French senators to the island of Taiwan, making official contacts with the authorities in Taiwan, under any name whatsoever, will constitute a serious violation of the one-China principle applied by the French state and will be exploited by the 'Taiwan independence' forces of Taiwan."

The Global Times found that Alain Richard had also led delegations to the island of Taiwan in 2015 and 2018. In March this year, after Richard and other senators announced their visit plan, in a letter, Chinese Ambassador to France, Lu Shaye, expressed China's firm oppositon, stating that the visit would create unnecessary disruption to China-French relations and exchanges.

"We hope that those concerned will think twice and reconsider their decision to visit the island of Taiwan," it added.

Global Times