US should recognize 'free, sovereign' Taiwan, says former top diplomat Pompeo

US should recognize 'free, sovereign' Taiwan, says former top diplomat Pompeo

In stern rebuke, China says Mike Pompeo's 'lunatic remarks will lead nowhere'

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – The US should recognize Taiwan as a “free and sovereign nation,” former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday, drawing sharp criticism from China for “his lunatic remarks.”

“The US government should immediately take necessary, and long overdue, steps to do the right and obvious thing: that is to offer the Republic of China (Taiwan) America’s diplomatic recognition as a free and sovereign country,” Pompeo said at an event in Taipei, where he landed a day earlier to meet President Tsai Ing-wen and other top officials.

Beijing, which considers Taiwan a “breakaway province,” slammed the statement, saying “it’s not surprising Pompeo would say that since he is famous for priding himself for lying, cheating and stealing.”

“Mike Pompeo is a former politician with bankrupt credibility. His lunatic remarks will lead nowhere,” said Wang Wenbin, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

While Taiwan has insisted on its independence since 1949, Beijing has not ruled out taking control of the island by force.

The US formally recognized China in 1979 and shifted diplomatic relations from Taipei to Beijing, including Taiwan as part of mainland China.

“This isn’t about Taiwan’s future independence, it’s about recognizing an unmistakable already existent reality. That reality is, as many of your past and present leaders have made clear, there’s no need for Taiwan to declare independence because it’s already an independent country,” Pompeo said.

“Its name is the Republic of China (Taiwan). The people and government of the US should simply recognize this political, diplomatic and sovereignty reality. The Taiwanese people deserve the world’s respect for a free, democratic and sovereign country.”

Pompeo was a central figure in former President Donald Trump’s administration, during which engagements between Washington and Taipei saw a significant uptick, including billions of dollars in US arms sale to Taiwan.

Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the statement, saying Taipei “genuinely appreciates the passionate support of our friends and like-minded partners from the US and around the world.”


- Journalists irked

Pompeo courted controversy during his Taipei visit by refusing to answer questions from journalists.

“Reporters were not allowed to ask questions directly to former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at his so-called ‘press conference’ in Taipei,” tweeted Will Ripley, senior international correspondent for American news channel CNN.

William Yang, East Asia correspondent for Germany’s DW News, also sought “a clear explanation why journalists were not given a chance to ask questions at the so-called ‘press conference’.”

“It is rather shocking and disappointing when the former government official from a democracy visits another democracy yet journalists are prevented from having the chance to ask questions at the only public occasion during his visit,” he wrote on Twitter.​​​​​​​

Kaynak:Source of News

This news has been read 180 times in total

ADD A COMMENT to TO THE NEWS
UYARI: Küfür, hakaret, rencide edici cümleler veya imalar, inançlara saldırı içeren, imla kuralları ile yazılmamış,
Türkçe karakter kullanılmayan ve büyük harflerle yazılmış yorumlar onaylanmamaktadır.
Previous and Next News