Taiwan also noted that since President Trump took office, the US has repeatedly reaffirmed that its policy on the island remains unchanged.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Taiwan has insisted that it is an independent nation, despite an earlier assertion by China that it is an inalienable part of Chinese territory.
This position was refuted by Taiwan’s foreign ministry in a statement released on Saturday.
The rebuttal came a few hours after China reaffirmed its commitment to the One-China principle during President Xi Jinping’s visit to the United States, stating that Taiwan is not a sovereign nation.
Following Jinping’s pressuring of President Donald Trump over US support for the self-ruling island during the parley, the American leader warned Taiwan against declaring formal independence.
Reacting to the encounter while responding to a question from Fox News host Bret Baier, Trump said, “I’m not looking to have somebody go independent. And, you know, we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I’m not looking for that.
“I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down.”
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Earlier, the Counsellor of the People’s Republic of China’s Embassy in Nigeria, Dong Hairong, clarified her country’s position on the status of Taiwan.
Speaking during a Media Salon in Abuja, she said, “Taiwan has been an inalienable part of Chinese territory since ancient times.
“Taiwan has never been a country, was never one, and will never be.”
Reacting to these claims, Taiwan’s foreign ministry noted that since President Trump took office, the US has repeatedly reaffirmed that its policy on the island remains unchanged.
“Taiwan is a sovereign and independent democratic nation, and is not subordinate to the People’s Republic of China,” it noted.
