Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Tai-san says Taiwan is a sovereign state and has never been controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. Chiu’s words on Monday come after Chinese officials said Taiwan is an indivisible part of Chinese territory.
Chinese and American officials have recently concluded their first high-level talks since Joe Biden became US President. The diplomatic meeting in Anchorage, Alaska has drawn attention for the fiery nature of comments made by both sides.
Chiu is again calling on the Chinese government to engage in talks with Taiwan without preconditions. The minister says both sides need to engage in order for negotiations to be a success, noting that “it takes two to tango”. Chiu says that only Taiwan’s 23 million residents have the right to decide Taiwan’s future.
The Mainland Affairs Council says it will continue to monitor developments closely in future US-China talks.