The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday denounced a joint statement issued by China and Brunei that asserts Taiwan is a part of Chinese territory.
The ministry in a statement said it “strongly condemns” the two governments’ claims that “Taiwan is an inalienable part of China,” and rejected any statements that undermine the nation’s sovereignty.
The Republic of China is a sovereign and independent country and is not subordinate to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the ministry said.
Photo: Lu Yi-hsuan, Taipei Times
The PRC has never ruled Taiwan, it said, adding that the nation would not cave in to Beijing’s “diplomatic pressure.”
The ministry’s comments came two days after Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah visited Beijing on Thursday and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平).
The two sides issued a joint statement after the meeting, during which they discussed deepening their strategic partnerships and Brunei reiterated its adherence to the “one China” policy.
According to the statement, Brunei endorses China’s territorial claims over Taiwan, and supports the peaceful development of cross-strait relations and the PRC’s unification goals.
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