Taiwan President Lai Ching Te suggested China reclaim its lands in the Far East – currently part of Russia – instead of attacking Taiwan. The statement was made during an interview with a local television channel, Reuters reports.
“China’s intention to attack and annex Taiwan is not because of what any one person or political party in Taiwan says or does. It is not for the sake of territorial integrity that China wants to annex Taiwan. If it is for the sake of territorial integrity, why doesn’t it take back the lands occupied by Russia that were signed over in the Treaty of Aigun? Russia is now at its weakest right?” Lai Ching Te stated.
Ching Te was referring to the Treaty of Aigun of 1858, under which China ceded the territory of what is now Russia’s Far East to the Russian Empire. This agreement defined most of the modern border between the two countries along the Amur River.
The then-ruling Qing dynasty initially refused to ratify the Treaty. However, the Beijing Convention later confirmed the document.
Relations between China and Taiwan have remained tense since 1949 when Taiwan became a separate territory following a civil war. China considers the island its province, while Taiwan operates as a de facto independent state with its own government and military.
In recent years, Beijing has intensified its diplomatic, military, and economic pressure on the self-governing island, and Chinese leader Xi Jinping has repeatedly stated that he wants “reunification,” if necessary, by force. Meanwhile, the Taiwanese government has emphasized that it wants peace but will defend itself in the event of an attack.
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