Push Admin

Taiwan wishes China happy new year, but says won't yield to pressure

Article (news)

Reuters

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/02/09/20210209-tsai-ing-wen-rtr.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>President Tsai Ing-wen delivers a speech to soldiers in personal protective equipment (PPE) to thank them for their work on disinfecting a market, in Taoyuan, Taiwan, February 1, 2021. <em>Ann Wang, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>TAIPEI - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen wished China a happy Lunar New Year on Tuesday, but said she would not yield to Chinese pressure and reiterated a call for dialogue to resume with Beijing.</p><p>China, which claims democratic Taiwan as its own territory, has increased its military activity around the island in recent months, responding to what Beijing calls &quot;collusion&quot; between Taipei and Washington, Taiwan&#x27;s most important international backer.</p><p>Speaking after a meeting with senior security officials, Tsai said Taiwan was in close contact with &quot;relevant countries&quot; about the situation in the Taiwan Strait, which separates the island from its huge neighbor.</p><p>Chinese military aircraft and warships operating around Taiwan are not conducive to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, she added.</p><p>&quot;I would like to reiterate that Taiwan&#x27;s consistent position on cross-strait relations is neither to succumb to pressure nor to advance rashly when we get support,&quot; Tsai said.</p><p>Taiwan wants &quot;meaningful talks&quot; with China on the basis of equality and mutual respect, as long as Beijing wants to ease the stand-off, she added.</p><p>&quot;Cross-strait peace is not a unilateral issue for Taiwan. The key lies in China&#x27;s hands. Historical experience has proven that verbal attacks and military threats against Taiwan will not help cross-strait relations.&quot;</p><p>Taiwan and China this week both mark the Lunar New Year, traditionally the most important holiday of the year for both, marking the arrival of spring.</p><p>&quot;We would also like to wish the people on the other side of the strait a happy new year and hope to jointly promote peace and stability on both sides of the strait,&quot; Tsai said.</p><p>There was no immediate response from China, which has rebuffed previous calls from Tsai for dialogue, believing she is a separatist bent on Taiwan&#x27;s independence.</p><p>In January, China said Taiwan was engaging in a &quot;cheap trick&quot; after Tsai again called for talks.</p><p>Tsai has repeatedly said Taiwan is already an independent country called the Republic of China, its formal name.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/en35RHb1eoE?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>TAIPEI - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen wished China a happy Lunar New Year on Tuesday, but said she will not yield to Chinese pressure and reiterated a call for dialogue to resume with Beijing.</p>

TAIPEI - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen wished China a happy Lunar New Year on Tuesday, but said she will not yield to Chinese pressure and reiterated a call for dialogue to resume with Beijing.