The Taiwanese president acts as a bulwark for Taiwan's liberal values against mainland interference. Beijing claims the island. For China’s foreign minister, elections do not change the principle of one China.
Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Taiwanese independence activists "will stink for 10,000 years," said yesterday Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, highlighting Beijing's disappointment at the overwhelming victory with which Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen was re-elected.
Speaking from Zimbabwe, as part of an African tour, Wang reiterated the communist regime’s position that Taiwan’s reunification with mainland China was "inevitable".
Ms Tsai, who sees herself as a bulwark for Taiwan's liberal values against the mainland’s growing interference under President Xi Jinping, rejects the idea that the island is part of “one China”.
Three days ago, the president won in an election dominated by issues like national sovereignty, democracy and future relations with Beijing.
Leader of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), she obtained over eight million votes (57 per cent), about 2.5 million more than her main rival, Han Kuo-yu of the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang), which calls closer relations with mainland China.
According to analysts, the result gives Ms Tsai a mandate to continue her current policy towards China, and represents a clear message from the Taiwanese to Beijing as it tries to isolate Taiwan economically and diplomatically.
However, for Foreign Minister Wang, the one-China principle “will not change in any way because of a local election on the Taiwan island, nor will it shake despite erroneous words and actions by some Western politicians”.
In light of this, Wang criticised the United States, Great Britain and Japan for congratulating Tsai on her victory. Instead, he urged the international community to support Chinese claims to the island and refrain from official communications with the Taiwanese government.
“The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the reunification across the [Taiwan] strait is inevitable,” he said. “Going against the trend is bound to reach a dead end. Anyone separating the nation will stink for 10,000 years.”