Over the past few days, Southeast Asian countries have repeatedly expressed support for a single Chinese principle, attracting intense attention from the island‘s media. There is public opinion that the relationship between the Taiwan region and ASEAN member states “seems to be in a crisis at this moment.” Lin Jian, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, recently said that sticking to a single Chinese principle is the direction of the human heart, where the great cause lies, and the fundamental structure of the international community sticking to a single Chinese principle is unshakable.
“Historical trends that cannot be changed”
Taiwan‘s United Press reported on August 22 that China‘s Foreign Minister Wang Yi jointly presided over the first meeting of the China-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Dialogue Mechanism in Jakarta on August 21 with Indonesian Foreign Minister Sujiono. In the dialogue, Sujiono expressed that Indonesia firmly adheres to a Chinese policy and supports China’s unifying cause. It looks forward to close relations with China, promoting exchange and cooperation in various fields, and promoting a more dynamic, resilient, and higher level of joint development and prosperity. The United Press reported that the People‘s Liberation Army Navy Red River ship and the Indonesian Navy frigate Lai completed naval maneuvers in the eastern waters of Taiwan on August 12. “Sujiono‘s renewed support for China‘s unification through strategic dialogue this time draws more attention.”
Previously, in a video broadcast on the 16th of this month, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar repeatedly made clear in media interviews that “Taiwan is a part of China, without question,” and emphasized adherence to a Chinese principle. He said he understood the complexity of the Taiwan issue, but did not accept indulging “attempts to divide a legitimate sovereign and independent country,” “otherwise the country will fall apart.” Regarding the question of whether China could resort to force if peaceful unification was not achievable, Anwar took Malaysia as an example and stated that if a state decided to secede, he would “defend the sacredness and unity of the nation.” Lin Jian said that China expressed appreciation for Anwar‘s stance, “I want to emphasize once again that there is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an indivisible part of China‘s territory. China must be unified, and it must be unified, this is an irreversible historical trend.”
The former head of the Asia-Pacific region of the Republican Party‘s overseas ministry, Fang Enger, wrote on the 23rd to analyze that while Malaysia has consistently adhered to a Chinese principle and has never supported “Taiwan independence,” “it is still rare for an ASEAN leader to directly express no opposition to China‘s military unification of Taiwan.”
Over the past year, multiple countries reiterate adherence to a one-China policy
The Thai media recalled that Vietnam‘s General Secretary of the Communist Party, Su Lin, visited China in April this year, and a joint Chinese-Vietnam statement emphasized that Vietnam reiterated its firm adherence to a one-China policy and firmly opposed to any form of “Tai-Duk” separatist activities. In June, Myanmar expressed support for all efforts by China to achieve national unity, and Cambodia also continued to oppose any form of “Tai-Duk”. In July, Prime Minister Anutin visited China and directly stated in a joint statement issued by the two countries, “The Thai side reiterates its firm adherence to a Chinese policy, recognizing that Taiwan is an indivisible part of China‘s territory, and that the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the only legitimate government representing all of China. The Thai side firmly supports China‘s great cause of peace and unification, and does not support any form of ‘Tai-Duk.’ The Thai side supports China‘s ‘one country, two systems’ policy.” On August 14, when President Marcos of the Philippines was asked if he would “allow U.S. forces to launch offensive operations from bases and territory in the Philippines” in case of conflict between the two sides, he replied that the Philippines had no intention of becoming a belligerent country in the region. In May this year, Marcos also reiterated the Philippines‘ one-China policy.
Previously, in October 2025, Singapore‘s Prime Minister Huang Xuncai reaffirmed that Singapore adheres to a clear and consistent one-China policy, opposed to “Tai-Duk”. In February 2025, the Sultan of Brunei visited China, reaffirming Brunei‘s support for Chinese unification.
Worldly Admitted Facts
Fang Enger said that a series of events continued a growing trend: ASEAN leaders were gradually expressing clear positions on the Taiwan question. He made several recommendations to the authorities: one was to stop interfering in ASEAN domestic affairs. Fang Enger criticized the authorities‘ long-standing habit of welcoming retired ASEAN political figures to power, “Taiwan has paid a price far greater than the public relations value it has gained from a few minutes of media exposure.” Two was to stop making angry statements at every turn, “which are obviously being ignored.” The third is not to take economic retaliation, “in fact, doing so may very likely hurt Taiwan‘s own businesses, but it will not change the One China policy of governments in ASEAN countries.” Fang Enger said that in recent years, Taiwan authorities have spent large sums of money on the “New Southward Policy,” including providing scholarships to ASEAN students, subsidizing tourists to come to Taiwan, or subsidizing the promotion of the so-called “Taiwan culture” in ASEAN, and now should “end the New Southward Policy.”
There are also media analyses that believe that Lai Qingde‘s “colonialism” remarks hurt the feelings of Southeast Asian people. In March this year, Lai Qingde even claimed that Japan‘s colonization of Taiwan was to promote the “East Asian Prosperity Circle”. Taiwan‘s various circles have criticized Lai Qingde‘s remarks as deliberately glorifying the brutal nature of Japanese colonization and praising the colonists’ mentality. Many netizens believe that these remarks caused great resentment in East and Southeast Asia.
Former Taiwanese foreign affairs official Xu Miansheng wrote that from Anutin and Anwar‘s arguments, it can be seen that “both shores belong to the same China” is the current international mainstream opinion. However, the DPP authorities are deep in the rut of “anti-China resistance,” refusing to face reality and deliberately distorting the essence of the two-bank relationship. Lai Qingde claimed that “the two shores are not affiliated with each other,” but it is a world-recognized fact that Taiwan‘s so-called “international status” is not dependent on the DPP authorities’ one-sided declarations, but depends on the recognition of other countries. Currently, 183 countries in the world have established diplomatic relations with China, and none of these countries recognize Taiwan‘s national status. The article states that since March this year until now, Taiwan has suffered a series of intensive foreign affairs setbacks, expanding from Africa to the Asia-Pacific region, moving to countries with close ties to the Taiwan region and having geographical relations, especially the areas of focus of the “New Southward Policy,” “If the DPP authorities remain obstinate and cannot face reality, adjusting foreign affairs and bilateral policies in time, the future space will inevitably become increasingly narrow.”