April 10, 2024
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and People’s Republic of China (PRC) Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a joint press conference in Beijing on April 9. During the press conference, Foreign Minister Lavrov fallaciously stated that Taiwan was part of China. He also said that Russia was united with Beijing in rejecting any so-called external interference, erroneously declaring that the issue of Taiwan was an internal affair of the PRC. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly denounces these false claims.
MOFA reiterates that neither the Republic of China (Taiwan) nor the PRC is subordinate to the other and that the Chinese Communist Party regime has never governed Taiwan. The R.O.C. (Taiwan) is a modern democratic country that actively defends the democratic system and respects human rights and the rule of law. No distorted narrative disparaging Taiwan’s sovereign status can change the internationally recognized cross-strait status quo. The collusion between Russia and China does nothing to contribute to stability across the Taiwan Strait and the region. In fact, their authoritarian convergence causes serious damage to international peace, stability, and the rules-based international order.
Taiwan is on the strategic front line, safeguarding the values of democracy and freedom in the Indo-Pacific region. Taiwan’s stance regarding the defense of its national sovereignty remains staunch and unchanged, as does its commitment to continue strengthening cooperation with like-minded partners to jointly resist communist China’s rhetorical and military intimidation and curb authoritarian expansionism. This will help ensure peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and promote global economic security and prosperity.