'Modi ji won't be intimidated': Taiwan calls China's objection an 'unreasonable interference'

A “very unreasonable interference,” said Taiwan, slamming China’s reaction and criticism over the exchange of messages between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te.

Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Tien Chung-kwang, while responding to a question on China’s criticism of strengthened ties between India and Taiwan, on Tuesday, said: “The new president, Lai Ching-te, congratulated Modi ji for becoming the Prime Minister for the third time. I think Modi ji also used that platform (X) to respond. This is a very common thing to congratulate each other.”

“Why do other people have something to say about it? I don’t understand. This is a very unreasonable interference between two leaders congratulating each other,” he further said.

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“I am sure Modi ji and our president will not be intimidated by China’s reaction,” Chung-kwang said.

Intensifying his attack on China, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Taiwan further said: “Some regime probably they could not tolerate the friendship. They only do something they think is correct, but most of the time their thinking is not right.”

#WATCH | Taipei | "...I think Modi ji and our President will not be intimidated...," says Deputy Foreign Minister of Taiwan, Tien Chung-kwang on the Chinese Foreign Ministry raising objections on the exchange of messages between PM Modi and Taiwan President on his message on his… pic.twitter.com/GFnqD6dZ3x

— ANI (@ANI) June 18, 2024

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Lai Ching-te, who was elected as Taiwan’s President last month, congratulated PM Modi on his win in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in a post on X on June 5.

“My sincere congratulations to Prime Minister @narendramodi on his election victory. We look forward to enhancing the fast-growing #Taiwan-#India partnership, expanding our collaboration on trade, technology & other sectors to contribute to peace & prosperity in the #IndoPacific,” Lai Ching-te said on X.

PM Modi thanked the Taiwanese president for his “warm message,” and said: “I look forward to closer ties as we work towards mutually beneficial economic and technological partnership.”

The very next day after the exchange of messages between PM Modi and Taiwanese president, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, at a media briefing in Beijing, said China has protested to India about the exchange.

She further said, “First of all, there is no such thing as ‘president’ of the Taiwan region.”

“As for your question, China opposes all forms of official interactions between the Taiwan authorities and countries having diplomatic relations with China. There is but one China in the world. Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the People’s Republic of China,” the Chinese spokesperson added.

She even criticised India’s interaction with Taiwan, and said: “India has made serious political commitments on this and is supposed to recognise, be alarmed about and resist the Taiwan authorities’ political calculations. China has protested to India about this.”

Mao added that India has diplomatic relations with China, which opposes all forms of official interactions with Taiwan. “This position is very clear and India knows this well,” she said.

China considers Taiwan as its breakaway province and has been persistent that it should be unified with the mainland, by force if necessary. Taiwan, however, sees itself as completely distinct from China.