March 22, 2023
Leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) government Xi Jinping and President of the authoritarian Russian government Vladimir Putin on March 22 issued the Joint Statement of the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation on Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination for the New Era. In the statement, Russia “reaffirms its adherence to the one-China principle, recognizes Taiwan as an inalienable part of China’s territory, opposes any form of Taiwan independence, and firmly supports measures taken by China to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Taiwan solemnly protests and strongly condemns the authoritarian, expansionist CCP government for continuously disseminating in the international arena false narratives that undermine Taiwan’s national sovereignty as well as Russia for falling in line behind China and acting in concert with China’s schemes for aggression and expansionism.
MOFA reiterates that neither the Republic of China (Taiwan) nor the People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other and that the CCP regime has never had the right to govern Taiwan for even a single day. Taiwan is a modern democracy that proactively defends democratic institutions and respects human rights and the rule of law. In contrast, the autocratic CCP government has for years violated human rights, willfully pursued expansion, and bullied neighboring countries. No statement by the CCP regime that is aimed at misrepresenting Taiwan’s sovereign status can change the internationally recognized status quo across the Taiwan Strait.
The China-Russia joint statement also mentions that the two sides “reaffirm their commitment to firmly upholding the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms for international relations that are founded on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.” This is unequivocal duplicity. Russia blatantly violated the UN Charter with its illegal invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. And for years, China has engaged in unreasonable conduct, dispatching military aircraft and vessels to intimidate Taiwan and neighboring countries. Nevertheless, today, China and Russia spout lofty yet deceptive statements calling for the international community to abide by the UN Charter and prevent a humanitarian crisis. The serious harm caused by this collusion between authoritarian China and Russia to international peace and stability and the rules-based international order has elicited global concern.
Taiwan stands on the front line of defense for the democratic community. The Taiwanese people and government will unite as one to collectively counter the rhetorical assault and military intimidation from communist China. Taiwan will strengthen cooperation with fellow democratic nations to deter authoritarian expansionism, preserve peace and security across the Taiwan Strait with an aim to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific, and ensure a stable and prosperous world.