Taipei
Taiwan has strongly criticized China’s claims regarding Singapore’s stance on Taiwan, labeling them as “disinformation.” On Wednesday a top Taiwanese diplomat, Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang, stated that Singapore adheres to the “one-China policy” but does not follow China’s “one-China principle.”
The controversy stems from a statement issued by China’s foreign ministry after a meeting between Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Chinese President Xi Jinping on November 15 at the APEC summit in Peru. China claimed that Singapore “fully understands” Beijing’s position on Taiwan, opposes Taiwanese independence, and supports the “one-China principle.”
However, Singapore’s foreign ministry issued its own statement, clarifying that it supports the “One China” policy but rejects Taiwan independence. Tien pointed out the discrepancy, accusing China of manipulating language to spread falsehoods. He called China’s actions part of an ongoing “disinformation warfare” to mislead international opinion and undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemned China’s use of international forums like APEC to spread such misleading statements. China’s increased military activity near Taiwan since 2020 has further escalated tensions in the region. Taiwan urged the global community to condemn China’s tactics that threaten regional peace and stability.
