TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Two U.S. congress members wrote a letter to Elon Musk on Wednesday (Sept. 20) offering to teach him about the history of Taiwan.
Musk, CEO of social media platform X, recently caused a media storm after saying that Taiwan is an "integral part of China,” during an interview on the "All-In” podcast. Musk has been slammed for comments that are in line with the views of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
In response, congressmen Andy Ogles and Randy Weber jointly sent a letter to Musk that they posted on X. In the letter Ogles and Weber shared some significant events from Taiwan’s past, explaining to Musk that his comments on the nation “betrays a lack of understanding of basic history.”
The representatives also noted that companies like Telsa “would not be able to operate in China if their leadership took a differing view” to that of the CCP on Taiwan. They called Musk’s statement “deeply ironic” in light of his "firm commitment to the principle of free expression.”
They added, “We urge you (Musk) to reconsider your remarks in light of the historical record."
The congressmen said the CCP "has, at no point since its brutish reign of terror began in 1949 been able to claim any kind of control over Taiwan.” They also quoted Qing (1644-1911) emperor Kangxi, who said in 1683, "Taiwan is outside our empire and of no great consequence."
"In the 1895 Treaty of Shimonoseki, the Manchu Qing Emperor gave up Taiwan to Japan in perpetuity," the letter read. They continued by saying "this version of China" was not even the same country as today's People's Republic of China (PRC).
The congressmen quoted Mao Zedong (毛澤東), founder of the PRC saying in an interview with journalist Edgar Snow, "We will extend them (the Koreans) our enthusiastic help in their struggle for independence. The same thing applies for Taiwan.”
The congress members echoed the statement of Taiwan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), who also responded to Musk’s comments by saying, “Taiwan is not part of China, and its freedom is not for sale.”
They emphasized that Taiwan is independent and autonomous, with a robust representative democracy, a top-performing economy globally, and a longstanding identity as "Taiwan."