Taiwan protested and condemned the joint Russian-Chinese statement adopted by the leaders of the two states on Friday, in which Moscow supports the “one China” principle and opposes the island’s independence. This is stated in a statement published on February 5 on the website of the Taiwan Foreign Ministry.
“In response to the “Joint Statement of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China on International Relations Entering a New Era and Global Sustainable Development” issued by China and Russia on the evening of the 4th, in which Russia confirmed that it adheres to the One China principle and recognizes Taiwan is an integral part of the territory of China, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its strong protest, and also strongly condemns the false language that infringes on the sovereignty of the Republic of China (Taiwan),” the statement said.
It is emphasized that “Taiwan and the PRC are not subordinate to each other, and the PRC government has never ruled it.”
“The Chinese government does not have the right to represent Taiwan at the international level, and it should not force other countries, international organizations and international companies against their will and facts to make false comments using their fictitious one China principle,” the ministry said.
The principle of “one China” is the basis for establishing diplomatic relations between Beijing and all states, including the Russian Federation, not a single country that officially recognizes Taiwan can establish diplomatic relations with China until it breaks ties with Taipei.
Earlier, on January 29, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang warned of the risk of armed conflict between Beijing and Washington. According to the ambassador, Taiwan is currently playing the role of “the biggest powder keg” in US-China relations. He also pointed out that Beijing is committed to peaceful reunification with the island, but is ready to use force if necessary.
In late December, Foreign Policy magazine called a clash between China and the United States over Taiwan in 2022 unlikely. At the same time, journalists noted that the Chinese and American military are increasingly confronted around the island and in the South China Sea “with all the dangers that follow.”
That same month, United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that the consequences of a potential conflict between the US and China would be catastrophic. In addition, he noted that China’s “aggressive” actions threaten the safety of navigation in the South China Sea and could harm trade.
As Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin pointed out, the United States is ready to support the defensive potential of Taiwan. In addition, he stressed that Washington will resist any forceful pressure on the population of the island.
Official relations between the central government of the PRC and its island province were interrupted in 1949, after the Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek, defeated in a civil war with the Chinese Communist Party, moved to Taiwan. Business and informal contacts between the island and mainland China resumed in the late 1980s. Since the early 1990s, the parties began to contact through non-governmental organizations.
#Taiwan #condemns #statement #support #China #principle