Taiwan’s Premier Cho Jung-tai firmly rejected Beijing’s sovereignty claims on Tuesday, stating that the island’s 23 million residents will not “return” to China.
His response came after Chinese President Xi Jinping told U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday that Taiwan’s “return to China” following World War II was central to Beijing’s global vision. Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China, maintains it is a fully sovereign and independent nation.
“For the 23 million people of our nation, ‘return’ is not an option—this is very clear,” Cho told reporters outside parliament.
“We must once again emphasise that the Republic of China, Taiwan, is a fully sovereign and independent country.”
China continues to push the “one country, two systems” model, but it has been roundly rejected by Taiwanese leaders and enjoys no support from major political parties in Taiwan. President Lai Ching-te has also dismissed the proposal.
Tensions escalated further after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could warrant a military response from Japan, prompting a sharp deterioration in Beijing–Tokyo relations.
Taipei has accused Beijing of distorting post–World War II history. While Taiwan was handed to the Republic of China at the end of the war nearly 80 years ago, the People’s Republic of China was only established in 1949 after communist forces defeated ROC troops, who then retreated to the island.
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei described China’s historical narrative as “completely false and untrue,” adding that Beijing’s real aim is to isolate Taiwan internationally and restrict diplomatic choices of other nations.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s defence ministry reported spotting a balloon crossing the Taiwan Strait from China on Monday—one of several such incidents Taipei views as part of ongoing military harassment. China has previously claimed the balloons are for meteorological purposes.
Beijing has never ruled out the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control and continues to increase military pressure around the island.
