TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said that Taiwan is already an independent nation in a press release on Saturday (Oct. 21) in response to recent statements by European Union (EU) lawmaker Josep Borrell.

Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, published a statement on the EU’s diplomatic service website, the European External Action Service (EEAS), in which he said that Taiwan should not “embark on any unilateral declaration of independence.” 


In its press release, MOFA clarified to the EU official that Taiwan does not need to declare independence, because it has long been an independent nation, under the legal name of the “Republic of China.” Further, Taiwan is a free and democratic country, and the future of Taiwan can only be determined by the Taiwanese themselves, said MOFA. 


In his statement published on his EEAS blog, Borrell called for the status-quo between China and Taiwan to be maintained and said that relations with Taiwan will be maintained despite the lack of diplomatic recognition. In other statements, Borrell has noted the importance of EU-Taiwan relations.

MOFA affirmed Borrell’s statements on the importance of peace and stability in the region but also noted that it is China, and not Taiwan, that acts provocatively and threatens conflict in the region. “In it the intention of China to change the status quo and undermine the rules-based international order,” said MOFA.

Taiwan recognizes the EU as a union of countries that understands and respects the principle of self-governance. Taiwan will continue to uphold such principles and work with like-minded partners to promote democracy and human rights, while also working to maintain regional peace and stability, said MOFA.