Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Friday strongly condemned and protested remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin that Taiwan is part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Speaking at the Valdai Discussion Club in Moscow on Thursday, Putin said Taiwan is “indisputably an inherent part of the PRC,” adding that the position held by Moscow remains unchanged, according to a video clip of his talk.
Putin also said that the visits to Taiwan by high-level officials of the United States were perceived by Moscow as “nothing but provocation.”
In response to Putin’s remarks, MOFA said via a statement that “the Republic of China (ROC, Taiwan) is an independent, sovereign nation.”
“The ROC and the autocratic PRC are not subordinate to each other. The regime of the Chinese Communist Party has never ruled over Taiwan for one day and does not enjoy any sovereignty over Taiwan,” according to the statement.
The future of Taiwan can only be determined by Taiwanese people and Taiwan will never surrender to any threats from the PRC government, the ministry added.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s intensifying coercion of Taiwan, including using its military aircraft to menace the country, deserve to be condemned by the international community, MOFA said.
In the face of outrageous and irrational provocation from China, Taiwan will continue to closely cooperate with like-minded countries to defend the values of democracy, freedom and the rules-based international order and to safeguard a free and open Indo-Pacific, as well as global peace and stability.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel