(ANSA-AFP) - BEIJING, JAN 20 - Beijing on Wednesday hit out
at Slovenia after the European Union country said it plans to
strengthen ties with the self-ruled island of Taiwan. China
claims democratic Taiwan as its territory, to be retaken one day
by force if necessary, and has stepped up efforts to
diplomatically isolate it in recent years. Beijing also bristles
at any international support for Taiwan that might lend any
sense of international legitimacy to the island. "We have noted
that the Slovenian leader has openly made a dangerous statement
challenging the One-China principle, supporting 'Taiwan
independence'", Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian
said at a regular briefing Wednesday. "We are deeply shocked and
strongly opposed to this." The backlash comes after Slovenian
Prime Minister Janez Jansa said his country is preparing an
exchange of representatives with Taiwan. "We are working on
establishing... well, on exchanging representatives," Jansa said
in an interview to India's Doordarshan national television,
published on the government's website. (ANSA-AFP).
© Copyright ANSA - All rights reserved