TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — In response to "fallacious comments" by China following Taiwan's elections, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) urged Beijing to respect the results and "face up to the reality."
In a MOFA statement on Sunday (Jan. 14), it said more than 50 countries congratulated President-elect Lai Ching-te (賴清德). However, it expressed dissatisfaction with China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) and its Ministry of Foreign Affairs for issuing "fallacious comments one after another."
On Saturday evening (Jan. 13), the TAO claimed the election results did not "reflect the mainstream public sentiment" and that Taiwan is "China's Taiwan." China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded by claiming the "Taiwan question is China's internal affair" and that whatever changes take place in Taiwan do not change "the basic fact that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China."
MOFA issued a response on Monday morning (Jan. 15) saying Beijing's claims that Taiwan is China's internal matter are "completely inconsistent with international understanding and the current cross-strait situation, and contradict the expectations of the global democratic community." It added China's statements "go against the will of the Taiwanese people who steadfastly uphold democratic values."
The ministry said Taiwan's successful election again demonstrates the "maturity and stability" of its democracy. It said the results point to the "clearest and most resolute response" from the Taiwanese regarding the situation in the Taiwan Strait.
MOFA closed by calling on Beijing to "face up to reality and abandon its efforts to pressure Taiwan.” It argued that only by abandoning this policy can cross-strait interactions "return to the right track" and respond to the international community's repeated calls to maintain peace, stability, and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait.