Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen who has been inaugurated for a second term, called for stability in relations with China even as Beijing claims it as its own territory. She said that Taipei will not accept Beijing’s political terms that would downgrade Taiwan and undermine the cross-strait status quo.
63-year-old President Tsai won the elections late last year with thumping majority and is from the Democratic Progressive Party which is fiercely against China’s claim on the nation.
Her re-election came as the Hong Kong protests have undermined Taiwan’s support for the “one-country, two-systems” approach Beijing has championed for governing both that former British colony and Taiwan.
The island of more than 23 million people exercises all the roles of a sovereign nation, issuing its own passports, maintaining its own military and legal system and serving as a crucial hub in the global high-tech supply chain.
According to media reports, Tsai said that Taiwan would work towards increasing its presence at International platforms.
“We will not accept the Beijing authorities’ use of ‘one country, two systems’ to downgrade Taiwan and undermine the cross-strait status quo,” news agency AP quoted Tsai as saying.
She addressing a gathering at the baroque Taipei Guest House in the capital city of Taipei.
Taiwan had a split with China during civil war in 1949. Beijing has cut off ties with Tsai’s government as she refused to adheres to the ”One China Policy”.
China has blocked Taiwan’s way in joining International platforms such as the WHO, and haven’t let the island nation to grow its diplomatic ties with other counties.
Taiwan attended the WHA as an observer from 2009-2016 but since 2017, China has blocked its participation after Tsai Ing-wen was elected as Taiwan President.
Recently, on May 16, Taiwan has appealed to India to endorse its demand that the country be allowed to participate in the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva on 18-19 May to share its experiences in fighting COVID-19.
“India will soon take over the Chair of the Executive Board of the WHO after its annual meeting later this month. Taiwan cherishes the valuable relations with the Government of India and its people and hopes the relations will get further strengthened,” according to Ambassador Chung-Kwang Tien, Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India (TECC).
He had said Taiwan was confident that New Delhi would appreciate and support his country’s right to participate at WHA, the decision-making body of the WHO
The Chinese Embassy in New Delhi, meanwhile, issued note saying Taiwan, being part of China, has no right to join the WHO. ”The WHO is a specialised agency of the UN composed of sovereign states. As part of China, Taiwan has no right to join the WHO. Its participation in the activities of the WHO and other international organisations must be arranged through cross-straits consultations under the one-China principle,” the note added.
But the Taiwanese envoy asserted that “Taiwan and China are separate jurisdictions, neither subordinate to the other. Regrettably, since 2017, the WHO has continually caved in to China’s unreasonable interference and discontinued its practice of issuing invitations to Taiwan to attend the WHA as an observer.”
He said the WHO Secretariat should set aside political considerations and allow Taiwan to participate in WHO meetings and activities, particularly those concerning COVID-19.
The United States is one of its main allies against China’s threats of using military force against the country.
Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State sent congratulatory statement to President Tsai.
“The United States has long considered Taiwan a force for good in the world and a reliable partner. We have a shared vision for the region one that includes rule of law, transparency, prosperity, and security for all, ” said Pompeo, in a statement.
The US support comes amid rising frictions between Washington and Beijing over trade, technology and allegations of Beijing’s mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic that began last year.