Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen has expressed his firm conviction that Bangladeshi friends, together with the international community, will continue upholding the One China principle.

He also hoped that the international community will continue to understand and support the Chinese people's just cause of opposing "Taiwan's independence" and striving for national reunification.

"We are one China, and Taiwan is part of China. This is an indisputable fact supported by history and the law. Taiwan has never been a state; its status as part of China is unalterable," said the envoy.

Ambassador Yao was speaking at a symposium on "Reflecting on the Original Aspiration of Establishing Diplomatic Relations, Moving Forward Together" at the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka on Wednesday evening.

The envoy said China cares about and cherishes the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait more than anyone else does. However, "Taiwan independence" and cross-Strait peace and stability are as "irreconcilable as fire and water."

"There is no space for the Chinese government to compromise with those 'Taiwan independence' separatists who have betrayed their ancestors by denying their identity as Chinese," he said.

Instead, he said, the Mainland will adhere to the 1992 Consensus that embodies the One China principle, work with relevant political parties, groups and people from various sectors in Taiwan to boost cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, enhance cross-Strait integrated development, jointly promote Chinese culture, and advance the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations for the cause of national reunification.

In January 2024, the leadership and legislature elections of China's Taiwan region were held.

"It is obvious that the results of the elections cannot change the landscape and development trend of cross-Strait relations, nor can it alter the shared aspiration of Chinese compatriots across the Taiwan Strait to forge closer ties. The inevitable trend of China's reunification will not be impeded," said the Ambassador.

He said it must be pointed out that out of the strategic consideration of "using Taiwan to contain China", the United States has played the "Taiwan card" in the multilateral fields and issued a series of reports distorting United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, attacking the One China principle, advocating "Taiwan's status is undetermined", and openly supporting Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly.

"They are clouding the One China principle with uncertainty and compromising its integrity. They are contriving 'official' exchanges with Taiwan, increasing arms sales, and colluding in military provocation," Ambassador Yao said.

To help Taiwan expand its "international space," he said, they are inducing other countries to interfere in Taiwan affairs, and concocting Taiwan-related bills that infringe upon the sovereignty of China.

"They are creating confusion about what is black and white, right and wrong. This is a hegemonic act that blatantly interferes in China's internal affairs, a flagrant defiance of relevant UN resolutions, an unpopular and perverse act, and a serious disruption to regional peace and stability. China firmly rejects this," said the envoy.

He said Taiwan belongs to all the Chinese people, including the 23 million Taiwan compatriots.

"The Chinese people are firm in their resolve and have a deep commitment to safeguarding China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation, and this resolve and commitment will frustrate any attempt to divide the country," he said.

"Attempts to reject reunification and split the country are doomed, because they will founder against the history and culture of the Chinese nation as well as the resolve and commitment of more than 1.4 billion Chinese people," the ambassador said.

Professor Shahab Enam Khan, Executive Director of the Bangladesh Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs, emphasized the need for a "better, transparent, and more accountable" trading regime between Bangladesh and China.

Speaking on May 15 at a symposium hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka, he argued that such a relationship could serve as a regional model for good governance.

"Let this relationship be a role model of uniqueness and prosperity," Professor Khan stated during the event. He highlighted the potential for Bangladesh-China trade and investment ties, adhering to global norms and standards, to bolster Bangladesh's impressive growth and positively influence the broader region.

Khan, who also serves as a professor in the Department of International Relations at Jahangirnagar University, called for a comprehensive view of Bangladesh's foreign policy towards China, involving global powers and their varied interests.

He referenced Bangladesh's commitment to the One China policy, underscoring its alignment with values upheld during the 1971 Liberation War under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The discussion also covered the Rohingya crisis and the broader stability of the Indo-Pacific region, emphasizing the importance of regional stability.

Economist Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir also spoke at the event, calling for greater connectivity and the establishment of Chinese cultural centres in Bangladesh to foster deeper people-to-people relations.

The symposium was attended by former diplomats and experts who discussed various aspects of Bangladesh-China relations, including Munshi Faiz Ahmed, Shabbir Ahmad Chowdhury, and Mahbub Uz Zaman.