Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen delivers a speech before the light show at the Presidential Office building for the National Day celebration in Taipei, Taiwan, on October 6, 2020. (REUTER / Ann Wang / Photo archive)
If Beijing can listen to the voice of Taiwan and jointly facilitate reconciliation and peaceful dialogue, the regional tension can surely be resolved, Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen said.
- News18.com TAIPEI
- Last update: October 10, 2020 11:13 am IST
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Taiwan wants to have a “meaningful dialogue” with China on an equal footing, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Saturday, extending an olive branch at a time of heightened military tension with Beijing, which claims the island as China’s sovereign territory.
Democratic Taiwan has come under increasing pressure from Beijing, which has increased air force activity near the island in recent weeks, including crossing the sensitive mid-line of the Taiwan Strait that normally serves as an unofficial buffer zone.
China says it is responding to “collusion” between Washington and Taipei, outraged by growing US support for the autonomous island. Beijing sees this as a precursor to Taiwan’s formal declaration of independence, a red line for China.
Speaking at the National Day celebrations, Tsai described the situation in the Taiwan Strait as “quite tense.” This, along with disputes in the South China Sea, a border conflict between China and India and China’s crackdown in Hong Kong, showed democracy and peace in the region. The region faced great challenges, he said.
If Beijing can listen to the voice of Taiwan and jointly facilitate reconciliation and peaceful dialogue, the regional tension can surely be resolved, he added. “As long as the Beijing authorities are willing to resolve antagonisms and improve cross-strait relations, as long as parity and dignity are maintained, we are willing to work together to facilitate meaningful dialogue,” Tsai said.
“Our commitment to our sovereignty and democratic values will not change, but we will also maintain strategic flexibility and respond to changes,” he said, without elaborating.
There was no immediate reaction from China, which interrupted a mechanism of formal talks in 2016 after Tsai first won office.
Earlier this week, Taiwan accused China of attempting to impose censorship in India after its embassy in New Delhi advised journalists to observe the “one China” principle when newspapers ran advertisements for Taiwan’s national day.
On Wednesday, the Taiwanese government raised the creeps in China with ads placed in major Indian newspapers to mark the national democratic day of the island claimed by China. The ad featured a photograph of President Tsai and praised India, a fellow democracy, as a natural partner of Taiwan.
China made its displeasure evident in an email sent by its embassy late Wednesday to journalists in India. “Regarding the upcoming ‘National Taiwan Day’, the Chinese Embassy in India wishes to remind our friends in the media that there is only one China in the world, and that the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the only one. legitimate government representing all of China, “the embassy said.
“We hope that the Indian media can stick to the Indian government’s position on the Taiwan issue and not violate the ‘One China’ principle.”
“In particular, Taiwan will not be referred to as a ‘country (nation)’ or ‘ROC’ or the leader of the Taiwan region of China as ‘President’, so as not to send the wrong signals to the general public.”
Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu mocked the Beijing council to the Indian media.
“India is the largest democracy in the world with a vibrant press and freedom-loving people. But it seems that communist #China is waiting to march to the subcontinent imposing censorship. # Taiwan’s Indian friends will have an answer: GET LOST!” he said in a tweet.
In what may further irritate China, Taiwan’s foreign minister doubled down on his reply on the eve of his national day.
“Our hearts are touched at #Taiwan by this wonderful support. Thank you! When I say that I like India, I mean it. “Get lost,” the Taiwanese Foreign Ministry tweeted.
New Delhi does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taipei, but both sides have close commercial and cultural ties.
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