China's top diplomat warned Sunday that any steps towards Taiwan's independence would be "harshly punished", saying that any moves would be a "dead end" after the self-ruled island defied Beijing's warnings and chose pro-sovereignty candidate Lai Ching-te as president.
"If anyone on the island of Taiwan thinks of going for independence, they will be... trying to split China, and will certainly be harshly punished by both history and the law," Wang Yi said in a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry in Cairo, adding: "This is a dead end."
China FM says Taiwan was 'never a country', never will be
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned Sunday that Taiwan had "never" been a country and never would be, after voters on the self-ruled island defied Beijing's warnings and chose pro-sovereignty candidate Lai Ching-te as president.
"Taiwan has never been a country. It wasn't in the past, and it certainly won't be in the future," Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry in Cairo.
Beijing top diplomat says Taiwan still part of 'one China' despite vote
China's top diplomat said Sunday that Taiwan's election could never change the fact that it is part of "one China", after voters defied Beijing's warnings and chose pro-sovereignty candidate Lai Ching-te as president.
"No matter what the results of the election are, they cannot change the basic fact that there is only one China and Taiwan is a part of it," Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry in Cairo.