China dismissed comparisons between the Ukraine crisis and its own claim to Taiwan on Wednesday after the president of the self-ruled island said evidence of Russian aggression was being used to undermine Taiwanese morale.
Democratic Taiwan has kept a close eye on the Ukraine situation because it is constantly threatened by a Chinese invasion, with Beijing claiming sovereignty over the island and vowing to seize it one day — by force if necessary.
Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan’s president, said Wednesday that “external forces” were “attempting to manipulate the situation in Ukraine and affect morale in Taiwan’s society,” and urged the government to be “more vigilant against cognitive warfare.”
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Any comparison, according to Beijing, demonstrated a “lack of the most basic understanding of the history of the Taiwan issue.”
“Of course, Taiwan is not Ukraine,” said foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a regular press conference.
“Taiwan has always been a permanent part of China’s territory.” “This is an undeniable historical and legal fact,” she said, blasting Taiwanese authorities for being “unwise” in “turning the Ukraine issue into a hot topic.”
Tsai previously stated, “Our government condemns Russia’s violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty… and urges all parties to continue to resolve disputes peacefully and rationally.”
Beijing has increased military, diplomatic, and economic pressure on Taiwan since Tsai took office in 2016, despite her rejection of China’s claim to the island.
Last year, Taiwan’s defense ministry claimed that China had launched a disinformation campaign in order to seize the island “without a fight.”
Tsai also directed national security and military units to remain vigilant and increase surveillance of military activities in Taiwan on Wednesday.
In the fourth quarter of 2021, there was a significant increase in Chinese warplane incursions into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone.
Taiwan recorded 969 such incursions last year, more than doubling roughly 380 in 2020.
Beijing has taken a cautious approach toward Ukraine while also increasing its support for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
This month, the two countries issued a joint statement in which they agreed on a number of foreign policy objectives, including no further NATO expansion and the recognition of Taiwan as an “inalienable part of China.”
Chinese officials have also sided with Russia in blaming the West for the Ukraine crisis, accusing them of a “Cold War mentality” and describing Moscow’s security concerns as “reasonable.”
