TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The foreign ministry issued a statement in response to Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's comments on Taiwan independence.

Wong met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Saturday, with the Singaporean foreign ministry issuing a statement on their meeting. Wong said that the city-state maintains its adherence to a “one China” policy and is opposed to Taiwan independence, reported UDN. 

On Sunday, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed serious concern in response to Wong’s unsolicited comments that downgraded Taiwan’s sovereignty. The ministry emphasized that Taiwan is a sovereign, independent state and its future can only be determined by the Taiwanese. 

The ministry emphasized that Taiwan is consistently ranked among the top nations in terms of political freedom and economic development, which has been widely recognized by the international community.

Taiwan called on Singapore to refrain from making comments that undermine the long-standing friendship between the two countries. The ministry urged Singapore to respect Taiwan’s sovereignty and work with democratically minded countries to help ensure that Taiwan remains a free and democratic country.