February 8, 2025
Chinese leader Xi Jinping met with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on February 6. Two days after the meeting, the two sides issued a joint statement on advancing the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and building a China-Thailand community with a shared future for enhanced stability, prosperity, and sustainability through a forward-looking and people-centered vision. The text includes the erroneous claim that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, as well as an expression of support by Thailand for China’s “one country, two systems” policy.
Given that the statement radically deviates from the facts, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly protests and solemnly condemns the Chinese government for once again disseminating narratives aimed at downgrading the sovereignty of the Republic of China (Taiwan). In addition, MOFA deeply regrets the Thai government’s subservience to China’s suppression of Taiwan’s sovereign status.
MOFA reiterates that the ROC (Taiwan) is a sovereign and independent nation; that neither Taiwan nor the People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other; and that the Chinese Communist Party regime has never governed Taiwan. No fraudulent claim seeking to distort the sovereign status of the ROC (Taiwan) can change the internationally recognized cross-strait status quo.
MOFA emphasizes that Taiwan and Thailand share a long-standing friendship and urges the government of Thailand to adopt an open and pragmatic approach toward building on the existing foundation of robust cooperation so that both sides can expand mutually beneficial economic, trade, and other exchanges and properly contribute to regional peace and stability.