Taiwan Offers China to Take Far East: Statement by Taiwan President, Russia’s Reaction

China must take the Far East from Russia if it lays claim to Taiwan. This statement was made by the president of the unrecognized island state Lai Qingde.

In his opinion, if China is going to “attack and annex” Taiwan, it is certainly not for the sake of territorial integrity. “If it is for the sake of territorial integrity, why does it not return the lands to Russia that were transferred under the Treaty of Aigun? Russia is now in the weakest position, isn’t it? You could ask Russia [отдать земли]but you don’t do it. So it’s obvious that they want to invade Taiwan not for territorial reasons,” the politician said. He is also convinced that the Chinese authorities want to destroy the existing international order in the western Pacific.

According to the Treaty of Aigun, concluded between the Russian Empire and the Qing Empire in 1858, the border between the two countries was fixed along the Amur River. As a result, the territories of the modern Amur Region and part of the Khabarovsk Territory became part of the Russian Empire. The next, Beijing Treaty of 1860 secured the future Primorsky Territory for Russia.

Russia reacts to Taiwanese president’s statement

First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs Vladimir Dzhabarov stated that Taiwan feels its impunity, which is why it allows itself to make such statements.

“It’s even insulting that he’s proposing these ideas to China. It shows that they feel they have impunity,” the senator said.

In addition, Taiwan is part of China, Dzhabarov emphasized, and Beijing’s control over the island is only a matter of time. “Sooner or later, Taiwan will definitely become part of China – it is now Chinese territory de jure, but de facto it will also be China,” he added.

Russia has previously stated that it is ready to support China’s sovereignty

Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Andrei Rudenko previously spoke about the conflict between China and Taiwan. He noted that Russia supports the sovereignty of the PRC and its territorial integrity, despite provocations on this issue from the United States.

“Washington continues to escalate the situation around Taiwan, thereby increasing pressure on Beijing. The West’s political and diplomatic support is supplemented by increased military-technical cooperation with the local administration, arms supplies, and the deployment of American military specialists,” the diplomat said.

Rudenko also added that Russia sees US policy towards Taiwan as similar to Ukraine, and these cases indicate that Washington is creating a security threat for Moscow and Beijing.