India Is Sticking To Its "One China" Policy, But Is Trying To Exercise Restraint On Taiwan

A map showing locations where the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will conduct military drills and training activities, including live-fire drills, is featured in newspaper reports of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan at a kiosk in Beijing, China. Seen on August 3 , 2022. Portal/Tingshu Wang

NEW DELHI (Portal) – India on Friday said it opposed any unilateral change in the status quo on Taiwan but remained firm on its stance on the “one China” policy, days after Beijing said it hopes that New Delhi will continue to recognize its claim to Taiwan self-government.

China has been firing ballistic missiles and stationing several planes and warships around Taiwan in recent days, angered by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island last week.

The Chinese embassy in New Delhi said last week that India was one of the first countries to recognize Beijing’s “one China” principle – that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China – and that it hoped India would not change its position .

When asked by a reporter about India’s position on the One China policy, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said: “India’s relevant policies are well known and consistent. It doesn’t need to be repeated.”

“We call for restraint, avoidance of unilateral action to change the status quo, de-escalation of tensions and efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region,” he said.

India-China relations have suffered since clashes at their Himalayan border in 2020 killed 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers. Troop deployments on both sides remain high despite talks at the military and diplomatic levels to defuse the situation.

Beijing is “ready to promote the development of our relations based on the one-China principle,” the Chinese embassy said last week.

Reporting by Krishna N. Editing by Mark Heinrich and Toby Chopra

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