Taiwan's foreign ministry on Wednesday rebuked Papua New Guinea's foreign minister, Justin Tkatchenko, after he urged other Pacific island countries to follow his government in closing Taiwan's representative office. The ministry rejected what it called Tkatchenko's "improper remarks falling in line with China" and reiterated that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are not subordinate to each other, Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA) reported.
Tkatchenko, who unilaterally declared the "immediate closure" of Taiwan's representative office in Papua New Guinea in July, said in a recent interview at the Pacific Islands Forum that his country regards Taiwan as a province of China, CNA reported, citing media accounts. He said Papua New Guinea had set a precedent, and called on other Pacific island nations to follow its approach as they develop relations with China.
The ministry, replying to questions from CNA on Wednesday afternoon, said the Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign and independent country that is not subordinate to the People's Republic of China, calling this an internationally recognised fact and the objective status quo across the Taiwan Strait. It said Taiwan has engaged with countries in the Pacific in the spirit of the "Pacific Way", and has exchanged and cooperated with its diplomatic allies, other friendly countries in the region and the Pacific Islands Forum under Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung's concept of "total diplomacy" and through its "Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project". As a responsible member of the Pacific family and a force for good, Taiwan has for years contributed actively to regional peace and prosperity, with results widely recognised, the ministry said. Taiwan would keep to its principles and move forward together with other members of the Pacific region, it said.
In response to Papua New Guinea's unilateral announcement of the closure, Taiwan has formally stopped importing Papua New Guinean liquefied natural gas on the spot market, the agency reported. The ministry will adjust its countermeasures on a rolling basis depending on how the Papua New Guinea government responds, while Taiwan's representative office in Papua New Guinea is still operating normally.
