(TibetanReview.net, Apr05’24) — China which has been intimidating Taiwan with a series of highly menacing military exercises with threats to invade should it move towards formally declaring independence has expressed thanks to the world for showing concern over the powerful earthquake which rocked it on Apr 3, provoking the island nation to condemn it as “shameless”.
Though Taiwan, which is formally known as the Republic of China, has never been part of the People’s Republic of China since the latter’s founding in 1949, the Communist Party of China-state claims the democratically-governed island as its own territory and, on that basis, claims the right to speak for it on the international stage, to the fury of Taipei.
The 7.4-magnitude earthquake, which hit eastern Taiwan, has killing 10 people so far. China’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Geng Shuang, has mentioned at a meeting about children’s rights that another speaker had brought up the quake in “China’s Taiwan”.
China is concerned about the damage and has expressed condolences to Taiwan and offered aid, Reuters Apr 4 cited Geng as saying, citing a transcript of his remarks carried on the Chinese mission to the UN’s website.
“We thank the international community for its expressions of sympathy and concern,” he has added.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry expressed anger at Geng’s remarks. The ministry “solemnly condemns China’s shameless use of the Taiwan earthquake to conduct cognitive operations internationally”, it said, using Taiwan’s normal term for what it views as Chinese psychological warfare.
This shows China has no goodwill towards Taiwan, the ministry has added.
The report noted that the government of Taiwan had already thanked governments and leaders around the world for their messages of concern and offers of support, including from the United States, the island’s most important international supporter despite the lack of diplomatic ties due to China’s objections.
The quake also left over 1,000 individuals injured. In the hardest-hit city of Hualien, numerous residents chose to spend the night outdoors instead of risking aftershocks in their still-shaking apartments. Taiwan has rejected China’s offer of help.
The defeated Republic of China government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war to Mao Zedong’s communists, who established the People’s Republic of China with its capital in Beijing.