The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday condemned comments by Russian President Vladimir Putin that Taiwan is a part of China, and that the West is attempting to escalate global tensions.
Putin made the comments on Thursday in response to reporters’ questions following a keynote speech to the Valdai International Discussion Club, a Moscow-based think tank closely associated with the Russian leader.
The US was wrong to destroy its relations with China over Taiwan, he said.
Photo: Yang Cheng-yu, Taipei Times
Russia recognizes that Taiwan is “without any doubt an integral part” of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Putin said.
Visits to Taiwan by US officials, including US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi — whom Putin called “grandma” — are a provocation, he said, adding: “Why they do it, I honestly don’t know.”
The ministry said in a statement that Taiwan is an independent, sovereign nation, and is not subordinate to the PRC, of which it has never been a part.
Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and indiscriminate killing of civilians have been condemned by democracies worldwide, it said.
Putin and his government are deliberately using Western “provocation” on the Taiwan issue to confuse and divert attention from its war against Ukraine, the ministry said, adding that Taiwan would continue to support Ukrainians who are fighting Russian aggression.
Beijing is the actual provocateur, clearly shown by its intensified deployment of navy and air force craft to intimidate Taiwan, as well its engagement in cognitive warfare to degrade morale, the ministry said.
In the face of China’s long-term provocations, Taiwan is working closely with like-minded partners worldwide to strengthen its self-defense capabilities and defend the universal values of democracy, freedom and rules-based international order, it added.
Additional reporting by Reuters
A fourth public debate was held today about restarting the recently decommissioned Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, ahead of a referendum on the controversial issue to be held in less than two weeks. A referendum on Aug. 23 is to ask voters if they agree that “the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant should continue operations upon approval by the competent authority and confirmation that there are no safety concerns.” Anyone over 18 years of age can vote in the referendum. The vote comes just three months after its final reactor shut down, officially making Taiwan nuclear-free. Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) represented
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
‘ANGRY’: Forgetting the humiliations and sacrifices of ‘the people of the Republic of China’ experienced disqualified Lai from being president, Ma Ying-jeou said Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday criticized President William Lai (賴清德) over what he called “phrasing that downplayed Japan’s atrocities” against China during World War II. Ma made the remarks in a post on Facebook on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Ma said he was “angry and disappointed” that Lai described the anniversary as the end of World War II instead of a “victory in the war of resistance” — a reference to the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). The eight-year war was a part of World War II, in which Japan and the other Axis
RSS