Taipei, June 18 (CNA) Taiwan has expressed regret over China's protest against Nicaragua for speaking out on Taiwan's behalf during the International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva on June 14.
According to media reports, Nicaragua's representative called on the International Labour Organization (ILO) and its members at the conference to attach importance to the rights of Taiwan's workers.
In a subsequent speech, a Chinese representative lodged a protest against Nicaragua, saying that the country was in violation of the "one-China" principle, and it asked all member countries to "stop infringing on China's sovereignty."
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Sunday thanking the Nicaraguan representative for speaking out for the rights Taiwanese workers are entitled to in the international community.
It also expressed regret over China's ignorance of universal and fundamental human rights by citing the so-called "one-China" principle to suppress other countries' right to speak out for Taiwanese workers.
The ministry reiterated that the Republic of China (Taiwan) administration is the only government that represents the 23 million people of Taiwan, a fact that cannot be denied in the international community.
It called on the ILO and concerned organizations to face up to the Taiwan issue and accept Taiwan's participation in the ILO and the ILC (the annual meeting that sets the broad policies of the ILO) on the basis of equality and dignity.
The government's determination to protect labor rights is unchallengeable, and it is willing to cooperate with all ILO member countries to protect and safeguard the universal value of labor rights, the ministry added.
Beijing considers Taiwan to be part of its territory, even though the People's Republic of China has never had jurisdiction over Taiwan since it was founded in 1949.
It has consistently exerted pressure on international organizations and other countries to isolate Taiwan internationally, but that pressure has been ratcheted up since Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) took power in May 2016.
The DPP administration has been less conciliatory to China than its predecessor and has not given in to Beijing's demand to recognize a basic formula for relations that says Taiwan and the PRC both belong to one China.
