The Foreign Ministry on Thursday condemned a joint statement issued by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) on Wednesday in which Uzbekistan claimed to "firmly support the one-China principle."
The joint statement reiterated that the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) represents the entire Chinese nation, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory. The statement also opposed any form of Taiwan independence and rejected official exchanges with Taiwan.
In response, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry stated that the authoritarian government of the Chinese Communist Party continues to spread false narratives around the globe that undermine Taiwan's sovereignty. The ministry strongly protested and condemned Uzbekistan for blindly following China.
The ministry reiterated that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign and independent country, not subordinate to the PRC. It says the PRC has never ruled Taiwan and that this has been an objective fact for a long time. It says any distortion of Taiwan's sovereign status by China will not change the internationally recognized cross-strait status quo.
The ministry pointed out that Taiwan is a crucial stronghold in safeguarding the world's free and democratic systems. It says Taiwan will not retreat due to China's suppression and will continue to cooperate with all friendly nations by defending democratic values and working together to maintain global and regional peace and stability.