April 10, 2024
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has taken note that former President Ma Ying-jeou met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on April 10. However, what the people of Taiwan are truly concerned and care about are China’s escalating military intimidation, diplomatic suppression, and economic coercion targeting Taiwan, as well as China’s malicious deployment of legal and cognitive warfare and other incessant efforts to unilaterally change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait in recent years. The people have no interest in narratives or claims that state that they cannot represent Taiwan’s mainstream opinion.
The Beijing authorities have used this meeting to widely publicize their stance on Taiwan. However, they were unable to mask China’s ambitious attempts to employ the “1992 consensus” as a pretext to realize the “one China principle” and eliminate the sovereignty of the Republic of China (Taiwan). If China genuinely wants to demonstrate goodwill toward Taiwan, it should immediately stop its various forms of coercion against Taiwan and pay due attention to Taiwan’s mainstream opinion. Likewise, under the premise of parity, it should resume dialogue with Taiwan’s democratically elected government to reconcile differences and resolve issues.
With global attention focusing on peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, as well as on the US-Japan summit and the US-Japan-Philippines summit, MOFA again calls on Beijing to accord proper attention to Taiwan’s mainstream opinion and make positive responses to international concerns and expectations. In addition, it should take concrete action to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and promote the positive development of cross-strait relations.
This year marks the 45th anniversary of the United States’ Taiwan Relations Act. In recent years, Taiwan has worked with the United States and other like-minded countries to preserve the peaceful status quo across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan will continue to cooperate with these nations to jointly safeguard hard-won outcomes and ensure regional peace and stability.