Taipei [Taiwan], October 9 (ANI): After the Chinese President Xi Jinping‘s vowed to “reunify” with Taipei, Taiwan on Saturday said that the island is an independent country, and not part of the People’s Republic of China, local media reported.

Taiwan‘s Presidential Office Spokesperson Xavier Chang said that Taiwan is a sovereign and independent country, and not part of the People’s Republic of China. He added the future of the country rests in the hands of Taiwanese, Taiwan News reported.

This comes after Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier today vowed to pursue “reunification” with Taiwan by peaceful means and asserted that the country firmly opposes any foreign interference in the matter. “The Taiwan issue is exclusively an internal affair of China, and any external interference is inadmissible,” Xi Jinping said during his address to mark the 110th anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution.

Reacting to Xi’s remarks, Chang said “what followed the 1911 Xinhai Revolution was the establishment of a democratic republic, referring to the Republic of China, and not an authoritarian dictatorship. The current situation in Hong Kong proves that China has abandoned its promise to preserve the autonomous territory’s freedom and democracy for 50 years,” Taiwan News reported.

The spokesperson said that Beijing’s handling of Hong Kong also proves that “one country, two systems” is not feasible. “Mainstream public opinion in Taiwan is very clear,” Taiwan News quoted Chang as saying. He further added that the Taiwanese reject “one country, two systems” and will defend their democratic and free way of life.
Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades.

Taipei, on the other hand, has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, which has been repeatedly opposed by Beijing. China has threatened that “Taiwan‘s independence” means war. On June 1, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to complete reunification with self-ruled Taiwan and vowed to smash any attempts at formal independence for the island.

‘Island of Resilience’ can face unprecedented challenges brought by China, says Taiwan President

Taipei [Taiwan], October 10 (ANI): Amid the unrelenting Chinese incursions into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone, President Tsai Ing-wen on Sunday promised to defend the island’s sovereignty in the face of “unprecedented challenges” brought by China’s military coercion.

Delivering the island’s National Day address, Tsai stated that Taiwan is no longer seen as the orphan of Asia, but as an “Island of Resilience” that can face challenges with courage. “But the more we achieve, the greater the pressure we face from China. So I want to remind all my fellow citizens that we do not have the privilege of letting down our guard.”

Her remarks come amidst the rising tensions between Beijing and Taipei after nearly 150 Chinese military aircraft breached the airspace of Taiwan over a period of four days.

“The situation in the Indo-Pacific region is becoming more tense and complex by the day. After taking complete control of Hong Kong and suppressing democracy activists, the Beijing authorities also shifted away from the path of political and economic development that they had followed since ‘reform and opening up’ began decades ago.”
Tsai highlighted that China is challenging the regional order in the South and East China Seas. “The routinization of Chinese military activity in Taiwan’s southwestern air defence identification zone (ADIZ) has seriously affected both our national security and aviation safety.”

She reiterated Taiwan’s willingness to contribute to the peaceful development of the region. “Our position on cross-strait relations remains the same: neither our goodwill nor our commitments will change. We call for maintaining the status quo, and we will do our utmost to prevent the status quo from being unilaterally altered.”

On Saturday, Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to pursue “reunification” with Taiwan by peaceful means and asserted that the country firmly opposes any foreign interference in the matter. “The Taiwan issue is exclusively an internal affair of China, and any external interference is inadmissible,” Chinese President Xi Jinping said during his address to mark the 110th anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution.

The leader warned against underestimating the Chinese people’s “firm determination, unshakable will and significant ability” to defend state sovereignty and territorial integrity, adding that the historic task to complete reunification of the homeland must and will certainly be fulfilled,” Sputnik reported.

“People should not underestimate Chinese people’s determination to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The task of complete reunification of China must be achieved, and it will definitely be achieved,” he added.

Over a four-day period beginning last Friday, Taiwan said that nearly 150 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) military aircraft entered its air defence identification zone (ADIZ), part of a pattern of what Taipei calls Beijing‘s continued harassment of the nation, reported Taipei Times.

Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan despite the island’s self-governance for more than seven decades. Taipei has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, which has been repeatedly opposed by Beijing. (ANI)