Doing a difficult balancing act over the Chinese crackdown on Tibetan protestors in Lhasa, India has offered strong support to China on the other issue close to Beijing’s heart by opposing Taiwan’s move to seek a UN membership for itself.

Speaking to the Chinese news agency Xinhua, MEA spokesperson Navtej Sarna has reaffirmed India’s stand that New Delhi continues to follow One China policy.

“India has never supported Taiwan independence or UN membership,” Sarna said, recalling that India’s consistent policy in this regard was conveyed to Beijing most recently during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to China earlier this year.

Taiwan, which had separated from mainland China following a civil war in 1949, held the UN seat under the name of Republic of China till 1971 before that seat was given to Beijing by the UN General Assembly. Taiwan is now planning to hold a referendum sometime next month to decide whether to seek a UN membership under the name Taiwan.

Beijing considers Taiwan as part of its territory and is pledged to reunite it with the mainland.

Explaining the Indian position, Sarna made it clear that India does not support Taiwan’s case for independence. “The Government of India follows One China policy and does not have diplomatic or official relations with Taiwan.”

However, India has allowed Taiwan to set up a trade office here and visas too are issued for visits. Last year, a presidential candidate of Taiwan’s Kuomintang party, Ma Ying-jeou, was also here on a quiet visit.

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