The Foreign Ministry has condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's statement that Taiwan is a part of China. Putin made this claim on Thursday at the Valdai International Discussion Club, a Moscow-based think tank.
The Foreign Ministry says Taiwan is an independent country and the People's Republic of China has never ruled over it. The ministry calls on other countries that value freedom, democracy, and human rights to rally together against authoritarianism in China and around the world.
The ministry says Taiwan's future should be decided by its own people, and the country will never yield to China's military, political, and economic coercion.
The ministry also condemns Russia's invasion of Ukraine and says Putin is using Taiwan's situation to divert international attention from his own war. The ministry adds that Taiwan will continue to work together with like-minded countries to support Ukraine.
The ministry also says China's totalitarian government is a threat to peace, freedom, and prosperity not just in Taiwan, but throughout the world. It says that the international community should shun both China and Russia for their actions.
The Foreign Ministry says Taiwan will continue to bolster its self-defense and international relations to stand up for freedom and democracy in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.