New Delhi (NVI): Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has expressed gratitude towards warm wishes by “Indian friends” on Taiwan’s 109th National Day. The Taiwanese President thanked India in a tweet today with the traditional Indian greeting gesture- ‘Namaste’.
“Thank you to all of our dear friends in India Flag of India for your well wishes on Flag of Taiwan #TaiwanNationalDay. Together, we can take pride in safeguarding our shared values like freedom & human rights, & defending our democratic way of life. #namaste,” Tsai tweeted, a day after India wished the nation on its 109th National Day.
Thank you to all of our dear friends in India ?? for your well wishes on ?? #TaiwanNationalDay. Together, we can take pride in safeguarding our shared values like freedom & human rights, & defending our democratic way of life. #namaste pic.twitter.com/ZZQT1286lR
— 蔡英文 Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) October 11, 2020
Yesterday, #NationalTaiwanDay2020 became one of the top trends on Twitter in India, with several Indian citizens, top journalists and politicians wishing the nation on the historic day.
In a strong message to Beijing, the Taiwanese President had also said that Taiwan will play an active role in establishing new regional and international order in the face of Chinese aggression against democracies.
China considers Taiwan a breakaway province. Only about two dozen countries have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Recently, China has been eyeing Taiwan-controlled Dongsha Islands.
Yesterday, while Taiwan was celebrating its National Day, also known as Double Ten Day, a Chinese military anti-submarine (ASW) aircraft entered Taiwan’s southwest air defense identification zone (ADIZ). Chinese forces have been violating the airspace in Taiwan recently.
However, apprehending “invasion” by China, Taiwan’s military has been conducting exercises to test their capabilities to “defeat the enemy” in the nearshore zones and to neutralise enemy forces on beaches and in other landing areas.
Meanwhile, expressing its displeasure over India wishing Taiwan, the Chinese embassy in India repeated its “One-China” policy narrative.
“One-#China policy is long-standing position of #Indian government. China firmly opposes any individual or any move trying to create “two Chinas” or “One-China, one Taiwan”, which violates this position,” tweeted Ji Rong, Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India, yesterday.
One-#China policy is long-standing position of #Indian government. China firmly opposes any individual or any move trying to create “two Chinas” or “One-China, one Taiwan”, which violates this position.
— Ji Rong (@ChinaSpox_India) October 10, 2020
Earlier this week, the Chinese embassy in Delhi had written to Indian media and called upon them to not refer to Taiwan as a “nation”.
India had responded to the Chinese diktat by saying that Indian media is a “free” entity and they can report on any issue they deem “fit”.
Following the Chinese embassy’s opposition to Indian media’s coverage of Taiwan National Day, a large poster wishing Taiwan on its ‘National Day’ was put up outside the Chinese Embassy complex in New Delhi.
The Chinese embassy in New Delhi on Wednesday had issued a series of directives to the Indian media for covering the national day of Taiwan, saying all countries having diplomatic ties with Beijing should “firmly honour” the One-China policy.
-ARK
