Taipei: Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Thursday criticized a historical claim made by Xi Jinping regarding China's sovereignty over Taiwan, describing it as "deceptive" and "contrary to the facts.

According to Focus Taiwan, the Chinese president stated in a Russian Gazette article that 2025 marks not only 80 years since the end of World War II but also "Taiwan's restoration to China."

Xi argued that documents such as the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation have confirmed China's sovereignty over Taiwan. He emphasized that these documents, along with U.N. Resolution 2758, are "historical and legal facts" that cannot be contested.

In its response, MOFA denounced Xi's article as a "fallacy" that misrepresented historical facts. MOFA highlighted that during the issuance of the Cairo Declaration in 1943 and the Potsdam Declaration in 1945, the People's Republic of China (PRC) had not yet been established.

MOFA further noted that the status of Taiwan, Penghu, and affiliated islands was addressed by several documents, including the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, the Treaty of San Francisco in 1951, and the Treaty of Taipei in 1952. These documents adhered to the Cairo Declaration's principle that Taiwan and its islands should return to the Republic of China (ROC).

Regarding U.N. Resolution 2758, MOFA pointed out that the resolution does not mention Taiwan or state that it is part of the PRC. Legally, it does not authorize the PRC to represent Taiwan in the United Nations or its agencies. The resolution, approved in 1971, recognized the PRC as China's only legitimate government, expelling the ROC's representatives.

MOFA accused Beijing of distorting historical facts to mislead the international community with its one-China principle, aiming to "legally eliminate the fact that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign state" and its right to participate in the U.N. system.

Xi's article, titled "Learning from History to Build Together a Brighter Future," was published ahead of his planned participation in Victory in Europe (VE) Day celebrations in Moscow on May 9. Russia marks VE Day on May 9 because the ceasefire ending the war took effect after midnight in Moscow, following Berlin's surrender just after 11 p.m. on May 8, 1945.

Taiwan commemorated VE Day for the first time on Thursday with a reception in Taipei attended by President Lai Ching-te.