BEIJING: China on Tuesday said it had summoned the Philippine envoy over Taiwan election remarks. China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning has said that China is strongly dissatisfied and resolutely opposes President Ferdinand Marcos’s statement about Taiwanese president-elect Lai Ching-te. In her regular news conference, she said that this morning, Assistant Minister Nong Rong has summoned the envoy of the Philippines to China to make solemn representations and ask the Philippine to give the Chinese side a responsible explanation over the matter.
The statement comes as Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. congratulated the winner of Taiwan’s presidential polls, Lai Ching-te. In a statement via social media, the President of Philippines said that he was looking forward to close cooperation and strengthening mutual interests.
Beijing Says Summoned Philippine Envoy Over Taiwan Election Remarks
Earlier, the Chinese embassy in Japan said that it “resolutely opposed” Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoko Kamikawa’s message congratulating Taiwan’s new president-elect Lai Ching-te.
Japan’s FM Ms Kamikawa congratulated Mr. Lai on his victory after the result of the Taiwan polls announced. In response, the Chinese embassy in Tokyo, termed comments of the top diplomat of Japan as “a serious interference in China’s internal matters”, Chinese embassy stated.
The statement added that China expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this, and have lodged solemn representations with Tokyo.
Japan does not have official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, a precondition for establishing diplomatic ties with China. The Chinese embassy stated that Japan must refrain from sending any “wrong signals” to “Taiwan independence” forces.
Spokesperson of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, Chen Binhua had said the victory of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party candidate, William Lai Ching-te, in the polls would not change the basic landscape of cross-strait relationship.
The spokesperson added that the results showed the DPP cannot represent majority public opinion on the island. The spokesperson further stated that Taiwan is China’s internal matter.
