China expressed its displeasure in an e-mail sent by its embassy on Wednesday night to journalists in India. The country re-iterated its old stance claiming Taiwan and regarding it as a wayward province.
Taiwan accused China of trying to impose censorship in India after its embassy in New Delhi advised journalists to not write about the National day of Taiwan and toe the “one-China” principle after newspapers carried advertisements for Taiwan’s national day.
China was rattled by the advertisements on Wednesday given in leading Indian newspapers by Taiwan’s government to mark the democratic, Chinese-claimed island’s national day on Saturday.
In its advertisement, the Taiwanese government pasted a photograph of President Tsai Ing-wen and hailed India, a fellow democracy, as a natural partner of Taiwan.
China expressed its displeasure in an e-mail sent by its embassy on Wednesday night to journalists in India. The country re-iterated its old stance claiming Taiwan and regarding it as a wayward province.
“Regarding the so-called forthcoming ‘National Day of Taiwan’, the Chinese Embassy in India would like to remind our media friends that there is only one China in the world, and the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China,” the embassy said.
“We hope Indian media can stick to the Indian government’s position on Taiwan question and do not violate the ‘One China’ principle.”
“In particular, Taiwan shall not be referred to as a ‘country (nation)’ or ‘Republic of China’ or the leader of China’s Taiwan region as ‘President’, so as not to send the wrong signals to the general public,”the embassy added.
Joseph Wu, Taiwanese foreign minister, blasted China over its advice to Indian media.
“India is the largest democracy on Earth with a vibrant press & freedom-loving people. But it looks like communist #China is hoping to march into the subcontinent by imposing censorship. #Taiwan’s Indian friends will have one reply: GET LOST!” he posted on Twitter.
India and Taiwan do not have formal diplomatic relations, but both sides have close business and cultural ties.
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