Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen recently stated in an interview that if China cares about territorial integrity, it should also seek to reclaim land from Russia. French scholar Stephane Corcuff praised President Tsai’s argument as smart, exposing the absurdity of China’s narrative and emphasizing that truth will always prevail.
President Tsai made these remarks in an interview with TV host Zhang Yaqin on the occasion of her 100th day in office. She questioned China’s stance on maintaining territorial integrity, drawing attention from international media outlets such as Reuters, the German magazine Die Zeit, The Guardian, and Newsweek.
French Taiwan historian Stéphane Corcuff, who has studied Taiwan for 30 years, interpreted President Tsai’s statements from an international perspective. He believes that President Tsai’s remarks serve to remind the world of the historical truth behind Taiwan’s relationship with China and underscore the flaws in China’s historical narrative.
Corcuff commended President Tsai for confronting China’s erroneous historical claims and exposing them as baseless. He pointed out that President Tsai’s wisdom highlights the absurdity of China’s discourse, demonstrating that if China wants to “take back” Taiwan, it should also seek to reclaim territories historically taken by Russia.
President Tsai’s comments have stirred discussions in mainland China, with many netizens there pointing out that China should also seek to reclaim territories ceded to Russia, Korea, Pakistan, and Vietnam in history. However, as of now, the Chinese government has not responded officially, while Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova reiterated Russia’s adherence to the “One China” principle.
Corcuff noted the concerning alignment between Russia and China, highlighting that in the face of a possible Taiwan Strait conflict, Russia stands in solidarity with China. He emphasized that Taiwan’s historical memory serves as a tool to debunk China’s lies and praised President Tsai for raising awareness about historical misinterpretations.
President Tsai emphasized that China’s aggression towards Taiwan is not merely about territorial disputes but stems from its desire to reshape the global order based on rules and achieve hegemony in the Asia-Pacific region. Taiwan’s strategic location in the Pacific island chain makes it a key stronghold for China to control regional dynamics and dominate the Taiwan Strait.
Corcuff previously presented similar arguments, suggesting that Chinese leader Xi Jinping views Taiwan not only as a target for unification but also as leverage to deter American influence in the region. Consequently, Corcuff analyzed that President Tsai’s assertion of China’s pursuit of hegemony is accurate, as China aims to assert its capabilities and determination through rhetoric.
In conclusion, Corcuff praised President Tsai’s articulate discourse as clever and emphasized the importance of speaking the truth despite facing challenges. He commended President Tsai for using sarcasm and wit to counter China’s narrative, based on lies, which are essential to communist rule. Corcuff believes that by exposing the lies and initiating critical thinking, President Tsai is championing truth and paving the way for a reevaluation.