Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that diplomatic exchanges between countries are natural and not a provocation. This follows media reports citing a senior French diplomat saying French President Emmanuel Macron views the recent meeting between Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy as a “provocation.”
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Liu Yung-chien (劉永健) says the Republic of China, Taiwan’s official name, is a responsible member of the international community and a sovereign state. He adds that strengthening exchanges with the executive and legislative branches of friendly and like-minded countries is Taiwan’s basic right.
Liu says Taiwan will continue to actively expand its international space and will not impose limits on diplomatic exchanges. He says this is not a provocation against any party. Liu adds that when China recently conducted military exercises as a retaliatory measure following the Tsai-McCarthy meeting, Taiwan received support from friends and allies in more than 42 countries. That included politicians and legislators from friendly and like-minded countries.