Taipei [Taiwan] September 19 Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has firmly rejected recent remarks by Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun, who at the Beijing Xiangshan Forum implied that Taiwan is part of China. The ministry condemned Dong's claims as falsehoods that distort historical facts, expose Beijing's authoritarian character, and rely on threats of military coercion, as reported by Taiwan News.
According to Taiwan News, the ministry stated that after World War II, the Treaty of San Francisco became the guiding international framework, superseding earlier wartime declarations such as the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation. Crucially, the treaty never ceded Taiwan to the People's Republic of China, and Beijing has never governed the island.
Highlighting Taiwan's democratic path, the ministry recalled the island's transition to political liberalisation in the 1980s, which paved the way for its first direct presidential election in 1996. Since then, both executive and legislative leaders have been directly chosen by the Taiwanese people. This process, the ministry said, established Taiwan as the sole legitimate government that exercises effective authority at home and represents the island abroad.
The ministry also pointed out that democratic elections have consistently strengthened Taiwan's political system, civic identity, and the people's steadfast commitment to freedom and democracy. The ministry highlighted that the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China exist as two distinct entities, equal in status, with neither subordinate to the other, as reported by Taiwan News.
In addition, Taiwan officials accused Beijing of engaging in "lawfare," manipulating international legal and historical narratives to portray Taiwan as an internal issue. Such tactics, they warned, are designed to legitimise aggression, alter the regional status quo, and destabilise peace and security across the Taiwan Strait.
Reaffirming its global role, the ministry said Taiwan will continue to work with democratic partners to maintain stability, counter China's fallacious narratives, and safeguard prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. The government pledged to remain a responsible member of the international community, committed to protecting sovereignty, democracy, and regional peace, as cited by Taiwan News.