TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A video showing Indians enjoying a cake marking Taiwan's National Day (Oct. 10) was among a wave of pro-Taiwan posts that went viral on Twitter, in defiance of pressure from China's wolf warrior diplomats on Indian journalists.
On Thursday (Oct. 7), the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi issued a letter to Indian media demanding that all journalists adhere to the "one China" principle when covering Taiwan's National Day, aka Double Ten Day. The letter required Indian news outlets not to refer to Taiwan as a "country (nation)" or "Republic of China," or describe "the leader of China's Taiwan region as 'president.'"
That same day, independent journalist Aditya Raj Kaul posted a screenshot of the letter on Twitter, quickly sparking a massive backlash in India. Anurag Srivastava, head of the Northern Division of India's Ministry of External Affairs, responded to the letter by saying, “There is a free media in India, that reports on issues that they see fit,” reported The Hindu.
By Sunday, pro-Taiwan hashtags such as #TaiwanisACountry #TaiwanNationalDay began trending on Twitter in India. Among the most popular tweets at 14,000 likes, was a video showing members of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth branch of the country's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), cutting a cake which read "10 October. Happy National Day. Double Ten Day."
Below the post, Taiwan’s representative to the U.S. Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) added a comment which read, "What a nice party and warm message of support for Taiwan!"
In response to the many pro-Taiwan tweets streaming out of India, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) on Monday (Oct. 11) issued a tweet in which he expressed thanks for the National Day messages sent by "friends in #India." He added the outpouring of support "inspires us to keep our democracy out of the clutches of dictatorship."
Celebrated #TaiwanNationalDay with @BJYM Team pic.twitter.com/7PbriDhHNu
— Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga (@TajinderBagga) October 10, 2021
India stands with Taiwan in its right to defend its sovereignty! We Indians are with you. Happy National day to all Taiwanese brothers & sisters @MOFA_Taiwan#HappyTaiwanNationalDay #TaiwanNationalDay #TaiwanIsaCountry #TaiwanIsNotChina #Taiwan pic.twitter.com/drVdEP3C8l
— Sachin Kumar (@iamsackr) October 10, 2021
Let's Celebrate Taiwan's National Day across India and let china Know that Taiwan is not China. #HappyNationalDayTaiwan#TaiwanNationalDay #Taiwan #TaiwanIsNotChina #TaiwanIsaCountry pic.twitter.com/Y7ttbsWRN9
— Rajneesh singh Saini (@rrr23saini) October 10, 2021
Happy #TaiwanNationalDay
T- Truly
A- An
I- Independent
W- Wonderful
A- Almighty
N- Nation pic.twitter.com/YeayaRmNnS
— Chanakya (@kapil_gv) October 10, 2021
National Day Celebration starts now #TaiwanNationalDay with @TajinderBagga Ji, pic.twitter.com/u9yuLiU3I8
— Swami SKGaur (@SwamiSkgaur) October 10, 2021
My thanks for the touching National Day messages from fellow democracies around the world, particularly those sent by friends in #India. This support inspires us to keep our democracy out of the clutches of dictatorship. #Taiwan will fight to the end & prevail! JW pic.twitter.com/A4lDTkDLH1
— 外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) (@MOFA_Taiwan) October 11, 2021
