Taiwan elections do not change facts: China

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) – China on Wednesday said that recently held presidential elections in Taiwan "will not change facts".

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Beijing will continue adhering to the "one-China principle".

"The elections will not change the fact that Taiwan is part of China," ECNS online quoted Ma Xiaoguang, a ministry spokesman, saying at a news briefing.

Taiwan's incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen won a resounding re-election last Saturday. China sees Taiwan as a "breakaway province".

In her first remarks to the press on Wednesday after her reelection, Tsai said that Taiwan’s “sovereignty is not in doubt or up for negotiation”, daily Taiwan Today reported.

“We’re a successful democracy, we have a pretty decent economy, we deserve respect from China,” Tsai said.

Tsai said she was open to dialogue with China but asked Beijing to respect the island nation’s “sovereignty”.

Tsai received more than 8 million votes, or more than 57%, the highest numbers since direct presidential elections began in 1996.

During her interview, Tsai said that her government has “shown restraint” but remains committed to maintaining the cross-strait status quo -- a gesture she considers “very friendly” to China.

“Because [for more than] three years we’re seeing China has been intensifying its threat ... they have their military vessels and aircraft cruising around the island,” Tsai said. “And also, the things happening in Hong Kong, people get a real sense that this threat is real and it’s getting more and more serious.”

She said that she is also aware that China may increase its pressure on Taiwan as a result of her election victory.

Early this week, during a tour of Africa, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had said: “The unification of the two sides of the strait is a historical inevitability.”