Tuesday, February 18th, 2025

Taiwan condemns China’s “false claim” on sovereignty, reaffirms independence




Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) criticized China for its “false claims” about Taiwan and reiterated that Taiwan is a sovereign and independent country, the Taipei Times reported.

The ministry’s response came after Chinese President Xi Jinping talked about Taiwan’s sovereignty during a phone conversation with US President-elect Donald Trump on Friday, the Taipei Times reported.

The ministry stressed that Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China are not controlled by each other, and this is a well-known fact that reflects the internationally accepted “status quo”.

Taiwan said it looks forward to strengthening its cooperation with the new Trump administration while furthering the strong and friendly relations between Taiwan and the United States. The two sides aim to work together to maintain peace, stability and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait and the region, the Taipei Times reports.

In a statement, China’s Foreign Ministry shared that Xi Jinping told Trump that it is natural for two big countries to disagree on some issues. Xi also said the Taiwan issue is a matter of China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and the US should handle it carefully, the Taipei Times reported.

According to the Taipei Times, Tamkang University professor Lee Dae-jung said the call came earlier than expected and reflected Trump’s proactive style. Li also suggested that phone calls and meetings between Trump and Xi are likely to increase after Trump takes office, despite Trump’s appointments of harsh critics of China. Lee believes that one of Trump’s main goals is to address the “unfair” trade imbalance with China.

Professor Wang Hung-jen of National Cheng Kung University suggested that Trump views the US-China rivalry as an important issue to address immediately. According to the Taipei Times report, although the talks seem positive, it does not mean that Trump will ease his/her stance on trade.



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