The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Feb. 6 condemned China’s coercive call to Guatemalan Foreign Minister Carlos Martinez and reaffirmed the rock-solid diplomatic ties between Taiwan and Guatemala.
The ministry’s statement followed a media interview of Martinez, after which China urged Taiwan’s Central American ally to enhance its economic and trade relationship with Beijing in line with the “one China principle.”
According to the MOFA, Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo has consistently reiterated the Central American country’s diplomatic recognition of Taiwan in public both before and after winning last year’s election. Arévalo also expressed his hope of strengthening bilateral cooperation and partnership when meeting with Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu during his inauguration ceremony last month, the ministry said.
The Republic of China (Taiwan) is an independent, sovereign country, the MOFA said. It has never been part of the People’s Republic of China, and the PRC has never governed Taiwan, the ministry added, stressing that this is an objective fact and the internationally recognized status quo.
Diplomatic relations between Taiwan and its allies are based on mutual respect and reciprocal benefits, the MOFA said, adding that other countries have no right to comment on or interfere in such affairs.
China has never ceased its attempts to suppress Taiwan’s international presence, undermine its sovereignty and sabotage its friendship with allies while using a variety of means to fracture international democratic unity, the MOFA said. The ministry solemnly called on the Chinese government to pay more attention to domestic concerns, including its economy, people’s well-being and whether its promises to other countries are fulfilled, rather than causing trouble in the international community. (YCH-E)
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