China is the real “troublemaker” distorting history and undermining the “status quo,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday, adding that people should “not be distracted” by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) tactics.
Lin was answering queries by reporters at a tea party marking his second anniversary in office, during which he outlined the ministry’s achievements over the past two years.
Asked about the government’s statement that freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait has been “normalized,” when Chinese military aircraft and naval vessels continue to operate around Taiwan, Lin said that “normalization of freedom of navigation” means welcoming the international community’s actions to demonstrate that the Taiwan Strait is international waters.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
Taiwan also monitors the movements of foreign commercial and naval vessels, and welcomes and appreciates their passage, he added.
Members of the media also asked about US President Donald Trump’s comments about Taiwanese independence — whether they align with Taiwan’s own position, whether there are differences that have been shaped by Beijing’s narrative, and what the government is doing to address and clarify these perceptions.
Following a summit with Xi in Beijing on May 14 to 15, Trump said in an interview with Fox News: “I’m not looking to have somebody go independent.”
Lin said that Trump’s statements and actions sometimes appear contradictory, but this reflects his own negotiating style, such as his statement that he would speak with President William Lai (賴清德).
When assessing the impact of the Trump-Xi meeting on Taiwan-US relations, attention should be paid not only to US arms sales to Taiwan, but also to the US’ official “fact sheet,” as well as comments by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his broader pro-Taiwan stance, including his statement that “US policy toward Taiwan has not changed” in order to get a full picture, the minister said.
China has over the past few years increased its defense spending, and military drills involving aircraft, naval vessels and aircraft carriers in the Pacific — moves that are seen as undermining the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait, Lin said.
Beijing has also sought to promote the narrative internationally — including to figures such as Trump — that Taiwan belongs to China, while linking US arms sales to Taiwan and Taiwanese independence to instability in the region, Lin said.
Beijing’s framing reverses the cause and effect, and is tantamount to “the thief crying thief,” Lin said, adding that China is the real “troublemaker,” and warned against being distracted by Xi.
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