Taiwan National Day marked in Turkish capital

By Mehmet Sah Yilmaz

ANKARA (AA) - Taiwan has marked the 110th National Day anniversary at its representative office in Turkey's capital.

Speaking at the event on Wednesday that began with the national anthems of Turkey and Taiwan, Volkan Chih-Yang Huang, the representative of Taiwan in Ankara, said China's international pressure and threats towards Taipei have "intensified" over the past year.

He said China was not only "maliciously" pressuring his homeland in the international arena, but also "continues to threaten" the peace with warships and planes entering its surrounding sea and airspace more frequently.

Noting that China's "provocative actions" in the region, especially in the Taiwan Strait, arouse great concern in the international community, Huang said: "Taiwan is on the front line of China's enlargement threat."

Referring to Taiwan's economic performance, he said it was the "eighth-most competitive country in the world in 2021."

Huang also emphasized Turkey's role in providing humanitarian aid for refugees, which he said was "a complex and chronic problem that no country can overcome alone."

Attending the event was also Celalettin Guvenc, chairman of the Internal Affairs Committee in Turkey's parliament, many foreign mission representatives and people from business and culture world, as well as academicians.

Guvenc said at the event that Turkey's relations with Taiwan, though limited, were "friendly and brotherly."

China claims Taiwan as a "breakaway province," while Taipei has insisted on its independence since 1949 and has diplomatic relations with at least 15 countries.

The US formally recognized the People's Republic of China in 1979 and shifted diplomatic relations from Taipei to Beijing, including recognizing Taiwan as part of mainland China.

Washington is the main arms supplier for Taipei and has called Beijing's increased activity in the Taiwan Strait "provocative" and "destabilizing" actions.

China retorted by saying the "assertions of the US side have been violating the 'One China' policy and … sending an extremely wrong and irresponsible signal."​​​​​​​