Taiwan is a sovereign and democratic country and the expression “Taiwan independence” means the island neither belongs to nor is subordinate to Beijing, Taiwanese president Lai Ching-te said on Sunday.
Mr Lai’s comments come days after US president Donald Trump met his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in Beijing for a summit that raised concerns in Taiwan about Washington’s backing for the island, which China claims as its own.
China has also not renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under Beijing's control, especially if it finds the island seeking formal independence.
"We're not looking to have somebody say, 'Let's go independent because the US is backing us,” Mr Trump told Fox News after his Beijing trip.
Responding to Mr Trump’s statement, the Taiwanese presidential office pointed out that Taiwan is a “sovereign, independent democratic country”.
"Everyone can clearly understand that the meaning of the term 'Taiwan independence' actually refers to Taiwan not being part of the People's Republic of China," Mr Lai said.
"It refers to the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China not being subordinate to each other," he added.
After losing a civil war to Mao Zedong's communists in 1949, the defeated Republic of China government fled to Taiwan and declared martial law there, transitioning to a democracy in the 1990s.
The Republic of China includes Taiwan, the Penghu islands in the Taiwan Strait, and the Kinmen and Matsu islands, which sit next to the Chinese coast, Mr Lai said.
"So it is very clear: the Republic of China has been in Taiwan for 70 or 80 years and has already become integrated with Taiwan as one," the Taiwanese said.
"Whether we call it the Republic of China, the Republic of China, Taiwan, or Taiwan basically, no matter what we are called `internationally, it refers to us: the 23 million people of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu."
While the US has been Taiwan's most important international backer, Mr Trump said after his Beijing visit that he has yet to decide on further arms sales to Taiwan.
“Our nation is grateful to President Trump for his continued support for security in the Taiwan Strait since his first term in office,” Mr Lai said.
“Taiwan will continue to deepen cooperation with the US to achieve peace through strength, ensuring that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are not threatened or undermined, which serves the common interests of Taiwan, the US, and the global democratic community,” the Taiwanese presidential office said.
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