Recently, President of the Republic of China, Tsai Ing-wen, mentioned in a television interview that the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) aggression towards Taiwan is aimed at becoming a world superpower rather than consolidating territorial integrity. She questioned why the CCP doesn’t reclaim the territories the Russians took in the 19th century if they genuinely care about their territorial integrity. Experts analyze this as a strong counterattack by Taiwan, which may hit a sensitive spot for the CCP.
During an interview on a television program hosted by Chang Ya-chin, titled “Ya-chin Views the World,” which aired on the 1st, President Tsai Ing-wen emphasized that the CCP’s intention to attack Taiwan is not due to what any individual or political party says or does or fails to do to prevent CCP aggression. The Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other. Taiwan has already taken root in Taiwan proper and the outlying islands, nurturing democracy and freedom, which have flourished in Taiwan. More importantly, democratic Taiwan has branched out globally, which is a collective achievement.
President Tsai Ing-wen stated that the democratic way of life desired by the people of Taiwan should not be viewed as a challenge by the CCP. She pointed out that the CCP’s desire to annex Taiwan is not solely for territorial integrity reasons. If it were genuinely about territorial integrity, why not reclaim the land signed away to Russia in the Aihui Treaty?
Tsai Ing-wen mentioned, “Now is the weakest time for Russia. The Aihui Treaty signed during the Qing Dynasty, the PRC could demand it back from Russia, but they don’t ask for it. It’s obvious they are not invading Taiwan over territorial concerns.” She emphasized that the CCP’s aggression towards Taiwan aims to alter the “rules-based world order” and seeks to achieve hegemony in the Western Pacific or internationally. “If the CCP only wanted to take Taiwan, it wouldn’t need to expand military presence in the East and South China Seas or conduct joint military exercises with Russia. Besides the Taiwan Strait, CCP troops have also gone to the Sea of Japan.”
President Tsai expressed her hopes for peaceful cross-strait development, emphasizing that peace is the highest principle and a value cherished by the people. The government has the responsibility to ensure peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, but the approach must be appropriate. Building strength is crucial at this moment. As the President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, her primary mission is to secure the country’s survival and development. Sovereignty is essential for a nation, and without it, there is no Republic of China or Taiwan. “We absolutely cannot accept the so-called ‘1992 Consensus’ proposed by the PRC, because it equals surrendering Taiwan’s sovereignty. Without the sovereignty of the Republic of China or Taiwan, everything is meaningless.”
Japanese veteran media figure, Akio Yaita, took to Facebook to comment on President Tsai Ing-wen’s recent television interview, where she brought up the question of why the PRC does not reclaim the land from Russia. This dialogue sparked discussion in the international community and has become a topic of interest. It can be considered a powerful counterstrike by Taiwan against the CCP’s double standards in territorial matters. International media outlets like Reuters have reported on President Tsai’s remarks.
Yaita highlighted that President Tsai’s remarks have historical references. The Aihui Treaty, signed in 1858 between the Qing government and the Russian government, ceded vast territories in the Far East to Russia. Similarly, Taiwan was ceded to Japan by the Qing government after signing the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895. After seizing power in 1949, the CCP declared that they “do not recognize any unfair treaties signed by previous governments” and used this statement as a basis to request the return of Hong Kong, ceded to Britain in 1842.
Yaita questioned why the CCP displays strong rhetoric towards signatory countries of a series of unfair treaties while being remarkably soft towards Russia. Not only does it not demand the return of land, but during the 1990s, the Jiang Zemin regime even gave additional land to Russia, which is perplexing. Jinping in Beijing signed the “Agreement between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Russian Federation on the Descriptive Protocol of the East and West Sectors of the Sino-Russian Boundary Line,” with Russian President Yeltsin in 1999. This agreement led to the transfer of over a million square kilometers of valuable land to Russia, equivalent to the area of several dozen Taiwans. Jiang Zemin even handed over the mouth of the Tumen River to Russia.
Yaita pointed out that Russia, currently engaged in warfare, is significantly weaker than before. It would be a favorable time for the CCP to reclaim the land from Russia, perhaps requiring only a small sum of money. However, it remains puzzling why the CCP provides substantial aid to Russia privately without making any demands. Many people within the PRC express their dissatisfaction on social media regarding this issue.
According to reports, after foreign media observed President Tsai’s statements, they requested comments from the CCP’s Foreign Ministry and Taiwan Affairs Office, but both entities have not responded. This outspoken statement may have struck a chord with the CCP. Xi Jinping seeks to combat the democratic and free world order led by the United States, with Russia serving as the CCP’s accomplice. The notion that “Taiwan independence will bring war” is merely an arbitrary excuse fabricated by the CCP.
As President Tsai stated, the CCP’s desire to annex Taiwan is not rooted in the preservation of territorial integrity but rather in the ambition to alter the “rules-based world order” and establish hegemony internationally or in the Western Pacific.