BEIJING - It has been clearly stated in official legal opinions of the Office of Legal Affairs of the UN Secretariat that "the United Nations considers 'Taiwan' as a province of China with no separate status," a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry stressed on Monday.

When responding to a question about Taiwan at a press conference on March 7, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that the only reference to the Taiwan region in the UN is "Taiwan, Province of China".

"This is the UN's consistent position, which is well documented," spokesperson Mao Ning said at a daily briefing in response to a query about whether Wang's statement shows the Chinese mainland's tougher policy on Taiwan.

Resolution 2758 adopted in 1971 by the UN General Assembly made it clear that there is but one China in the world, Taiwan is not a country, and Taiwan is part of China, the spokesperson said.

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She said it also made clear that there is only one seat of China in the United Nations, and the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal representative in the UN.

"This resolution is observed by the UN and its specialized agencies as evidenced by their reference to Taiwan as 'Taiwan, Province of China'," she said.

Mao stressed that on the Taiwan question, China's position is consistent and clear.

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"We stay committed to the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus. We stand ready to work with the greatest sincerity and exert utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification. Meanwhile, China will take all necessary measures to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and firmly oppose 'Taiwan independence' separatism and external interference," she said.