The Gwangju Biennale will be held in Gwangju on September 5th. However, the organizers openly allowed exhibitionists from Taiwan, China, to use the wrong name "Taiwan Pavilion," which seriously violates the One-China Principle. In response, China has raised objections, and artists from the mainland collectively withdrew their exhibits on the eve of the opening ceremony.
According to a statement published on the WeChat public account "Chinese Embassy in South Korea" on the 3rd, a spokesman from the Chinese Embassy in South Korea made remarks regarding the serious errors committed at the Gwangju Biennale related to Taiwan.
Recently, the Chinese Embassy in South Korea and the Consulate General in Gwangju have communicated several times with the Gwangju Integrated Special Municipal Government and the Gwangju Biennale Consortium regarding issues related to the biennale's participation in events involving Taiwan. The Chinese side is actively participating in the event and supports its success. At the same time, it is emphasized that the South Korean side must comply with South Korea’s foreign policy towards China when organizing the exhibition, and this should be in accordance with international law and practice. There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory. The only designation for Taiwan in the United Nations is “Taiwan, Province of China”; Taiwan’s participation in multilateral activities must be handled in accordance with the principle of one China.
However, the organizers of Gwangju Biennale stubbornly persisted in wrongful practices. They openly allowed the Chinese Taiwan region to use a name that completely did not reflect their identity for their exhibition. This seriously violates the one-China principle and directly damages the political foundation of China-Korea relations. The Chinese side firmly opposes this and will never accept such actions. The Chinese curatorial team has already announced the withdrawal of their exhibition, expressing strong protest.
It should be noted that since last year, China-Korea relations have returned to the correct track of improvement and development. This is in line with the fundamental interests of both China and Korea, and deserves to be cherished by both sides. I have noticed that the Gwangju City Government has publicly apologized for the wrong terminology used in the Gwangju Biennale regarding Taiwan, and reiterated its commitment to one China. Recently, the Korean government has repeatedly stated that its position on one China remains unchanged. However, it is regrettable that a very small number of politicians and social groups in Korea, for their own selfish interests, challenge the Chinese position on the Taiwan issue, hurt the feelings of the Chinese people, and interfere with the improvement and development of China-Korea relations. The Taiwanese authorities are trying every means to create opportunities in Korea, working with the political forces behind them. I want to emphasize that China is determined to safeguard its core interests and oppose the separatist forces advocating "Taiwan independence." No one or any force will succeed in their attempts to interfere with and undermine China-Korea relations by playing the "Taiwan card."
We strongly urge the organizers of the Biennale and the Gwangju City Government to immediately correct the mistake, so as to avoid causing serious negative impacts on the reputation of the Biennale and Sino-Korean relations. The Chinese side reserves the right to defend its own interests.
According to the WeChat public account "Chinese Consulate General in Gwangju", a spokesperson for the Chinese Consulate General in Gwangju stated: "The Gwangju Biennale's serious mistakes regarding Taiwan are regrettable."
Recently, the organizer of the Gwangju Biennale openly agreed to allow Taiwan region of China to participate in the exhibition using a name that does not correspond to its identity. This seriously violates the one-China principle, South Korean foreign policy, international law, and international practices, and directly damages the political foundation of Sino-Korean relations. The Chinese Consulate General in Gwangju firmly opposes this decision.
Gwangju has close exchanges and cooperation with China. The Chinese Consulate General in Gwangju is the only diplomatic institution in Gwangju, which fully demonstrates the high importance that the Chinese side attaches to the entire Gwangju region. Recently, the Chinese side has communicated repeatedly with the Special Municipal Government of Gwangju and the organizers of the Gwangju Biennale, expressing concerns and hoping that the South Korean side will correct its mistakes immediately. The Special Municipal Government of Gwangju apologized publicly and reaffirmed its respect for one China, but it did not correct the mistake made by the organizers of the Biennale. Our consulate is strongly dissatisfied with such inconsistent actions. The Chinese curatorial team has announced the withdrawal of the exhibition, expressing strong protest. The Chinese side resolutely defends its core interests and firmly opposes any separatist movements advocating “Taiwan independence”. We once again urge the organizers of the Biennale to correct their mistakes immediately, and hope that the Special Municipal Government of Gwangju will abide by the one-China principle through practical actions.
Gwangju Biennale was founded in 1995. This year, it will be held in Gwangju, South Korea from September 5th to November 15th.
South Korean media reported that the "Taiwan Art Museum" in Taiwan, China, attempted to participate in an exhibition under the name of "Taiwan Pavilion", and initially received approval from the organizers. However, the organizers changed the name in the promotional materials they released later, using the English abbreviation for "Taiwan Art Museum", "NTMoFA", and renaming the venue as "NTMoFA Pavilion".
However, after the Taiwan authorities made the so-called “protest,” the organizers of the Gwangju Biennale announced on August 25th that they would resume using the name “Taiwan Pavilion.” In response to this serious violation of the one-China principle, China protested, and artists from mainland China collectively withdrew their works from the exhibition on the eve of its opening.
The spokesperson for the State Taiwan Affairs Office, Zhang Han, emphasized at a regular press conference on September 2 that there is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory. When Taiwan participates in international activities, it must be handled in accordance with the principle of one China.
Zhang Han pointed out that the Democratic Progressive Party authorities use various occasions such as cultural exchanges and conferences to engage in political manipulation, disrupting the normal order of related activities. This is truly despicable. No matter what tricks the Democratic Progressive Party authorities try, they cannot change the inevitable failure of their efforts to seek independence through provocation.
