The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said that comments by French luxury goods brand Christian Dior about the nation’s sovereignty were regrettable and untrue, while condemning Beijing for interfering in the management of international companies.
Dior early yesterday morning issued a statement on its Chinese Web site that it “always respects and upholds the one China principle, strictly safeguards China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and treasures the feelings of the Chinese people,” after it used a map of China that excluded Taiwan during a presentation at Gongshang University in Zhejiang Province.
Ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said that it was regrettable to see Dior make a statement that was factually incorrect.
“Taiwan is not part of China, nor is it a part of any province of the People’s Republic of China and it has never been governed, even for a day, by the People’s Republic of China,” Ou said.
International companies should refrain from making politicized statements or taking sides, nor should they be pressured to make factually incorrect statements, she said.
Ou criticized Beijing for interfering in the management of international companies, adding that its actions are “barbaric and contravene the spirit of international commercial independence.”
She called on Beijing to stop digging itself into a deeper quagmire.
The international community should not stand silent and should call out Beijing for bullying other nations, she said, adding that the international community must take action to uphold the dignity and autonomy of corporations.
Beijing’s intimidation of Dior today could lead to Beijing pressuring, or invading, nations in the future, the ministry said.
This is an act that disrupts the cross-strait “status quo,” the ministry said, calling on like-minded nations to help resist oppression.
The ministry has contacted Dior to convey Taiwan’s position and to urge the company to be strong and not bow to Chinese pressure.
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