China's embassy in South Korea said its Beijing and Gwangju missions have
engaged with the Gwangju municipal government and the Gwangju Biennale
Foundation over the event's Taiwan arrangements. The embassy said it supports
Chinese participation and the Biennale's success but urged that Seoul and
organisers comply with South Korea's diplomatic policy toward China and with
international law. The statement reiterated the one-China position, saying
Taiwan is part of China and that Taiwan's UN designation is Taiwan, Province of
China; Taiwan's participation in multilateral events must follow the one-China
principle. It accused the Biennale organisers of insisting on a Taiwan
designation inconsistent with that status, calling the move a serious breach of
the one-China principle that damages the political basis of China–South Korea
relations. China strongly objects and will not accept this; the Chinese curation
team has withdrawn from the exhibition in protest.
