Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) on Tuesday urged Beijing to move beyond its rigid “One China” stance and face the objective reality of the Republic of China’s (Taiwan) sovereignty.
Responding to a statement from China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) regarding President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) one-year anniversary in office, Chiu reiterated that Taiwan is a sovereign and independent country. He further called the TAO’s stance unhelpful and outdated.
Chiu called on China to respect the reality that the two sides are not subordinate to each other and to engage in dialogue based on parity and dignity. He also dismissed speculation that Lai’s brief mention of cross-strait issues during his speech on Tuesday was due to U.S. pressure.
Chiu also commented on a slip-up by a Chinese state television anchor, who mistakenly referred to Taiwan and China as "two countries." Chiu says the error underscores the need for Beijing to recognize the reality of Taiwan's existence.