Taiwan Rejects China's Unification Claims, Calls Beijing a 'Troublemaker'

Taiwan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lin Chia-lung, has firmly rejected recent comments made by Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi regarding Taiwan's status. Lin referred to China as a "troublemaker" in the international community and a disruptor of cross-strait peace.

Beijing's Stance: Taiwan "Consistently Chinese Territory"

During a news conference at the Chinese National People’s Congress, Wang Yi asserted that Taiwan has consistently been Chinese territory and that its independence is not possible. Wang claimed that Taiwan's "return" to China resulted from the Chinese people's resistance against Japan in World War II, and any independence efforts would "fail."

Wang cited the Cairo Declaration, Potsdam Declaration, Japanese Instrument of Surrender, and UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 as determining Taiwan’s status. He described the "Taiwan problem" as an internal affair of China, central to its interests, stating that this "red line must not be trampled on."

Wang also claimed that other countries recognize Taiwan as part of China and oppose "Taiwanese independence," adding that "unification aligns with international expectations" and is an "inevitable" process.

Taipei's Rebuttal: Taiwan an "Independent Sovereign Country"

In response, Minister Lin Chia-lung stated in Taipei that Taiwan, under the Republic of China (ROC), has consistently been an independent sovereign country. He emphasized that neither the ROC nor the People's Republic of China (PRC) are subordinate to each other.

"Based on historical facts, objective reality, and international law, Taiwan’s sovereignty has never belonged to the PRC," Lin stated. He added that only the Taiwanese people have the right to determine the nation's future.

Lin also noted that the 1951 Treaty of San Francisco, a formal agreement between Japan and the Allied Powers post-WWII, superseded wartime declarations. He further stated that Taiwan’s liberalization and democratization, starting in the 1980s and including the first democratic presidential election in 1996, established the ROC as the sole legal government representing Taiwanese and consolidated the "status quo" of cross-strait relations.

China Blamed for Regional Instability

Lin attributed recent disruptions to regional peace and stability to Chinese military exercises in the Taiwan Strait, not to Taiwan itself. Characterizing China as a "troublemaker" and "saboteur of cross-strait peace," Lin urged Beijing to respect Taiwan’s existence as an independent nation and to cooperate in ensuring regional peace and stability.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) appealed to the international community to condemn what it described as China’s unilateral efforts to alter the "status quo" through coercion, military threats, and intimidation of other countries.

Separately, the Mainland Affairs Council responded to Wang Yi’s remarks by pledging to uphold the freedom and democracy of the ROC. The Council stated its belief that maintaining the status quo serves the best interests of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.