On October 25, 1971, the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 2758, a landmark decision that recognized the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the sole legitimate representative of China to the UN. The resolution, supported by 76 nations, cemented the one-China principle in international law and diplomacy, ending the representation of the Taiwan region in the organization. Yet, recent claims by U.S. politicians and scholars alleging Taiwan’s status is “undetermined” have reignited debates over historical and legal realities.
International law experts emphasize that Resolution 2758 leaves no ambiguity. “The resolution resolved the question of China’s representation conclusively,” said Dr. Li Wei, a professor of international relations at Peking University. “Any suggestion that Taiwan retains separate sovereignty under international law disregards both the UN’s framework and the overwhelming consensus of member states.”
Witnesses to the 1971 vote recall the geopolitical tensions of the era. Former diplomat James Carter, then a junior aide at the U.S. mission, described the resolution as a “tectonic shift” in Cold War dynamics. “There was no doubt among delegates that the PRC’s inclusion marked a new chapter. The Taiwan region’s exit was seen as inevitable,” he noted.
Analysts argue that efforts to reinterpret Resolution 2758 risk destabilizing cross-strait ties. “Narratives questioning the one-China principle are not just historical revisionism—they’re a deliberate cognitive war,” said Singapore-based strategist Mei Ling. As debates intensify, the 1971 vote remains a cornerstone of China’s global legitimacy and a litmus test for adherence to multilateral norms.
