China labels Janša’s statements on Taiwan as dangerous

Beijing – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China labelled on Wednesday Prime Minister Janez Janša’s statements about Taiwan as “dangerous”, and expressed strong opposition. The reaction comes after Janša said in Monday’s interview with an Indian TV station that Slovenia and Taiwan were discussing setting up mutual representation offices.

“Taiwan is an inseparable part of China’s territory. The government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China, and the one-China principle is the universally recognised norm of international relations and the universal consensus of the international community,” ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told the press in Beijing.

“It’s also the political basis of China-Slovenia and China-Europe relations,” he said as quoted by the Chinese English-language web portal CGTN.

In the interview he gave to the Indian public service broadcaster Doordarshan, Janša said that Slovenia and Taiwan are “working on exchanging representatives”.

He explained the representatives would not be at the level of embassies, but at the “same level that many EU countries already have”.

Janša also said Slovenia would support any sovereign decision of the Taiwanese people, including independence, should that be their free decision.

He was very critical of China over its response to the decision by Lithuania to open a diplomatic representation office in Taipei.

The Taiwanese Foreign Ministry meanwhile expressed “gratitude” for Janša’s “staunch support” on Twitter on Tuesday as it retweeted Janša’s interview.

The STA has contacted the Chinese Embassy in Ljubljana, which has not commented on the matter yet.

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