Leo Varadkar dismisses claim he said Taiwan should be reunified with China
The Taoiseach has rejected the idea that he told the Chinese Premier that Taiwan should be reunified with China.
Chinese media made the claim after Leo Varadkar met with Li Qiang today.
CGTN quoted Mr Varadkar as saying Ireland "will always abide by the one-China principle, and hopes that China will achieve peaceful reunification at an early date".
However, arriving for a dinner in the Swiss resort of Davos, Mr Varadkar told that he had in fact reiterated Ireland's commitment to the One China policy, as opposed to the principle.
"I reaffirmed our policy, which is the One China policy, that we recognise that Taiwan is part of China," he told the station.
"And while we don't have diplomatic or political links with Taiwan, we continue to have economic and cultural links."
Officially, Ireland and the EU subscribe to what is called the "One China Policy".
This means, in effect, that the EU recognises the government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China but EU nations and Taiwan have developed solid relations and close cooperation in a wide range of areas.
However, the One China Principle is the official stance of the Chinese Communist Party that the People's Republic of China is the only version of China and that Taiwan is part of it.
During their face-to-face meeting on Wednesday, Mr Varadkar also raised concerns over China's human rights in Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Macau, and Tibet.
Mr Varadkar said the Government needed to be “frank” with the Chinese government on human rights matters, as China is on the UN Human Rights Council and has international responsibilities.
“I often say that any country, including our own country, should be judged by the way it treats minorities,” Mr Varadkar said.
Mr Varadkar said that while Mr Li is “happy” to have human rights issues raised, the Chinese government has a different view on the facts.
“I don't want to speak for him but I think it's fair to say that they would have a very different view of the facts and would dispute a lot of what is said about China in the media."
In its most recent report — published in August 2022 — Human Rights Watch’s World Report accused China of “crimes against humanity” in the Xinjiang region over its treatment of Uyghers and Muslims.
The report also details the sharp decline of personal freedoms in Hong Kong, citing the 47 pro-democracy advocates who are being prosecuted on national security grounds.
Alongside human rights issues, Mr Varadkar and Mr Li held high-level talks on re-opening the export of Irish beef to China, with agreement being reached between the two parties.
Beef exports to China are now able to resume immediately, with Chinese officials accepting Irish scientific data that the BSE case — which shut down exports in November — was atypical.
The Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of China first stopped into Áras an Uachtaráin, meeting with President Higgins and his wife Sabina Higgins.
President Higgins wished Mr Li a “cead mile fáilte” upon his arrival, while also raising issues around climate change, global poverty, food security and global conflict.
President Higgins also raised the issue of human rights, particularly in light of the UN’s Universal Periodic Review — which calls on every UN member state to peer review its human rights records every four-and-a-half years.
Mr Li told President Higgins that he is a “seasoned political leader”, while mentioning his visit to China in 2014 where he met with President Xi.
“Over the years our results-oriented co-operation has made steady progress and produced rich foods. Our relations have set a good example of mutually beneficial co-operation between countries that are different in political systems, cultural divisions, and geographic size,” Mr Li added.
At Farmleigh House, Mr Li was greeted first by the Taoiseach at the entrance to the main courtyard, before inspecting the 12th Infantry Battalion of the Defence Forces.
Speaking following the bilateral with the Taoiseach, Mr Li said that their conversation was “candid” and the two leaders are on the same page on multiple issues.
“We are both committed to long-standing friendship and co-operation between our two countries, which really is the theme of this relationship,” Mr Li said.
Mr Varadkar said Ireland wants to have a “very strong and constructive relationship with China”.
“One based on trust and respect and one informed by our values and the multilateral system in which we’re both stakeholders."
The Taoiseach admitted they would not agree on all issues, but said he hoped the two states could continue to speak “frankly and respectfully” to one another.
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