China’s “wolf warrior” spat with Taiwan has turned ugly with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) threatening to hold Taiwan’s foreign minister “accountable for life” for his tweets that slammed Beijing for blocking Taipei’s entry in the World Health Assembly (WHA).
The CCP threatened to take all necessary measures to severely punish Taiwan’s foreign minister on Wednesday for remarks made on Twitter, leading Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue a statement saying that Beijing was being “absurd and ridiculous.”
It asserted that CCP’s comments “also highlighted the cowardice of the Chinese regime and its inability to self-reflect,” Taiwan’s national news service the Central News Agency (CNA) reported.
China and Taiwan’s war of words began on May 11, when Taiwan’s foreign minister went ballistic after China sought to deny Taipei’s membership of the WHA. The Chinese argued that mainland China was taking care of Taiwan’s interest.
This triggered a tweet-storm from the Taiwanese foreign minister. “Shameless lies! Just goes to show the CCP can’t tell the truth,” he wrote. “After what #Beijing has done to #Xinjiang, #Tibet & #HongKong, no sane person would believe it could take care of #Taiwan’s health needs or otherwise. Think about #COVID19 & African swine fever. Thank God we aren’t under #China’s control! Please help us keep it at a distance.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out in its response that the Republic of China (ROC), the official name of Taiwan, is not only a sovereign and independent country but an “advanced democracy and force for good.”
The ministry added that the Chinese government lacks respect and an understanding of universal values, and uses authoritarian expansionism to try to impose the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s one-sided claims on other countries, causing regional tensions and conflicts.
It said that the CCP has not only failed to reflect on itself but falsely claims that democracy is “full of ideological prejudice” and “political drama.”
“The Chinese (Communist) government’s ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy will not win support and respect but will only cause public resentment from the people of Taiwan, other democratic and free countries, and the international community,” it added.
The ministry also reiterated some of the key points of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen’s speech delivered this year at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit. In her address, Tsai had spotlighted Taiwan’s outstanding contribution to unite democratic countries and in safeguarding global freedom and democracy. The Taiwanese President had declared Taipei’s commitment to the values of freedom and democracy and its iron will against succumbing to pressure and bullying from the CCP.
Also read: Why China’s Wolf Warrior Diplomacy has begun to backfire
