Taiwan urged China on Sunday to face “reality” and “respect the result” of the January 13 presidential and legislative elections, which gave victory to the ruling and sovereigntist candidate Lai Ching-te, also known as William Lai. Beijing, for its part, stated that it “strongly deplores” the message from Washington congratulating Lai.
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This Sunday, January 14, Taiwan urged China to “respect the results of the presidential elections” won the day before by the official and sovereigntist candidate Lai Ching-te, also known as William Lai.
The result of the elections highlights the independence path de facto of the island territory and reaffirms that its citizens wish to defend it against threats of reunification from mainland China.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls on the authorities in Beijing to respect the results of the elections, face reality and desist from repressing Taiwan,” according to a statement from the Taiwanese ministry.
Claiming to have received congratulations from “more than 50 countries, including 12 diplomatic allies,” the institution denounced the “absurd and out of place comments” of the Chinese authorities.
Earlier, on Sunday, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry had reaffirmed on the social network X that, despite the elections, “Taiwan is part of China.”
China announces “inevitable” reunification
On Saturday, after knowing the results, the Asian superpower, which considers Taiwan as one of its provinces to be reunified by force if necessary, had assured that this vote “will not hinder the inevitable trend towards reunification with China.”
After a campaign marked by strong diplomatic and military pressure from China, the acting vice president, Lai Ching-te, 64, won the presidential elections in a single round with 40.1% of the votes. He will take office on May 20.
A member of the Democratic Progressive Party, like the outgoing president, Tsai Ing-wen, Lai Ching-te has promised to “protect Taiwan from China's constant threats and intimidation.”
The president-elect, who in the past defined himself as “a pragmatic defender of Taiwan's independence”, has since relativized his position: like Tsai Ing-wen, he now adopts a more moderate position, stressing that he does not An independence process is necessary because the island is sovereign de factowith its own government and its own elections.
But Beijing continues to consider Lai a promoter of “separatist activities linked to independence” and “a serious danger” to bilateral relations between both territories.
The US sent an informal delegation to Taiwan to distrust Beijing
The status of Taiwan is one of the most controversial issues in diplomatic relations between the world's two superpowers, China and the United States.
This Sunday, the North American country sent an informal delegation to Taiwan made up of former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, former Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg and Laura Rosenberger, president of the American Institute in Taiwan.
The team will meet on Monday with “a number of political figures and convey to Taiwan the congratulations of the American people on the success of the elections,” according to the Institute's statement.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken congratulated Lai Ching-te and the Taiwanese on their “strong democratic system.” “We do not support independence,” President Joe Biden nevertheless declared.
These comments already provoked a strong reaction from Beijing from its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which declared that Washington “sends a profoundly wrong signal to the separatist forces in favor of 'Taiwan independence'.” “We deplore it and firmly oppose it,” he added.
The United States does not recognize Taiwan as a state and considers the People's Republic of China to be the only legitimate government, but nevertheless provides the island with significant military aid.
*AFP
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