TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC, 大陸委員會) issued a statement Tuesday (Oct. 15), asserting that China refuses to recognize the Republic of China's legitimacy, viewing it as an illegal regime.
This declaration intensifies cross-strait tensions following President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) National Day speech, which the Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO, 國務院台灣事務辦公室) criticized as a clear articulation of a "new two-state theory."
MAC accused China of attempting to transform Taiwan into another Hong Kong through its "One China" principle and the "1992 consensus," insisting such ambitions will not succeed.
The council reiterated the government's consistent cross-strait policy, emphasizing the "Four Commitments" and the "Four Noes." MAC urged Beijing to replace military threats with dialogue.
Chen Binhua (陳斌華), a spokesperson for TAO, claimed President Lai's remarks that "the Republic of China has taken root in Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu" aim to sever historical ties between the two sides and "Taiwanize" the Republic of China. This response from TAO highlights the growing discord over Taiwan's status and the future of cross-strait relations.
As both sides remain firm in their positions, the call for dialogue over confrontation remains crucial. Observers will closely watch for any shifts in policy or rhetoric that might signal a change in the current stalemate.