China takes aim at ‘blatant double standards’ over Ukraine and Taiwan
- Foreign Minister Wang Yi says the two situations are not comparable and Beijing’s sovereignty is being undermined
- In Taipei, top diplomat Joseph Wu says the island is ‘watching carefully to see what China may do to Taiwan’
The comments mark the first time a senior Chinese official has addressed the parallels that have been drawn between Taiwan and Ukraine, with some suggesting that Russia’s invasion of its neighbour could embolden Beijing to attack Taiwan.
He said that since Taiwan was an inalienable part of China’s territory, the Taiwan question was entirely an internal matter, while Ukraine was a conflict between two countries.
Beijing claims self-governed Taiwan as its own, and has never ruled out the use of force to take control of the island.
Taiwan is recognised by 13 of the 193 United Nations member states. All the others, including the United States, acknowledge China’s sovereignty over the island, or the so-called one China principle. Washington, however, opposes any attempt to change the status quo by force.