BEIJING: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijian, has praised Prime Minister Hun Sen's remarks, emphasizing that Taiwan is a province of China which cannot be separated. He made this remark during a regular press conference at the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday, 30 May.
Spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a news conference, "There is only one China in the world, Taiwan is part of China, and the government of the Republic of China is the only legitimate government representing the whole of China. This is the consensus of the international community. The Taiwan issue is purely a Chinese internal affair, and does not allow for foreign interference. Defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity, anti-division, and achieving national unification is China's justifiable cause. This has been and will continue to receive understanding and support from the international community, including Cambodia."
The Spokesperson’s remarks come just days after the 2022 ASEAN Chair, Prime Minister Hun Sen, spoke at a press conference for the 27th International Conference on the Future of Asia on Friday, 27 May, and said that the case of Taiwan is different from the case of Ukraine, as while Ukraine is an independent country, Taiwan is considered by many, including the United States, as a province of China. He said that China is not stupid to the level of shedding their own blood, as long as Taiwan does not declare independence and no country invades Taiwan.
Prime Minister Hun Sen said, “From 1949 until now, has anyone seen China use force on Taiwan? All countries should also respect China's independence and sovereignty, and recognize that Taiwan is a Chinese province. Why compare the issue of China and Taiwan to Russia and Ukraine? I do not agree with a military intervention."
He reminded ASEAN partners, both inside and outside the region, to give serious consideration to actions that could endanger China's national sovereignty.
The ASEAN Chair's remarks came just four days after US President Joe Biden announced during a Quad meeting that he would use force to defend Taiwan if Taiwan was attacked by China.
