By Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, Mar. 7: The Chinese embassy in India has issued a statement condemning an Indian media channel’s interview with Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. The embassy alleges that the interview provided a platform to advocate “Taiwan independence,” on March 2.
The statement from the Chinese embassy read: “On 29th February 2024, certain Indian TV broadcasted an interview with the head of Taiwan’s foreign affairs office Joseph Wu, which provided a platform for him to advocate ‘Taiwan independence’ and disseminate false information. It seriously violated the one-China principle, and is totally unacceptable.”
In response to the Chinese embassy’s statement, Taiwan’s foreign ministry posted on X, “Neither India nor Taiwan is part of the PRC [People’s Republic of China] and we’re not its puppets. We’re both democracies with free and vibrant presses that can’t be dictated to.” Taipei asked Beijing to worry about its “economic slump, not bully its neighbours”.
India was among the first nations in the world to accept the “one China policy” in 1949 and used it in joint statements, but New Delhi stopped doing so around 2010 in response to Beijing’s insistence on issuing stapled visas to residents of Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh.
Over the years, India has also deepened its engagement with Taiwan through trade, including negotiations for a free trade agreement, and culture without having diplomatic relations. India has a trade and cultural office in Taipei with a reciprocal set-up in New Delhi, which also provides consular services.
