Date: October 27, 2016
MAC Press Release No. 77
Responding to a comment by the Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) spokesperson that Taiwan has never been a country, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) stated today (October 27) that the Republic of China (R.O.C.) is a sovereign state with its own constitution and a national leader elected by the people. It has also established formal diplomatic relations with 22 countries. This is an objective reality. We believe that mainland China's one-sided statement does not change the fact that the R.O.C. is a sovereign state. The TAO spokesperson's improper comments hurt the feelings of Taiwan's 23 million people and are detrimental to the peaceful and stable development of cross-Strait relations. MAC Minister Katharine Chang formally expressed a solemn protest on this matter at the Legislative Yuan.
The MAC stressed that maintaining the peaceful and stable development of cross-Strait relations and the interests and welfare of the people on both sides is the common goal and responsibility of the two sides. The two sides should respect each other. In her National Day Address, President Tsai Ing-wen called upon the authorities of mainland China to face up to the reality that the R.O.C. exists and that the people of Taiwan have an unshakable faith in the democratic system and to treat this seriously and pragmatically. The two sides should endeavor to resolve their differences through communication and dialogue to support positive interaction and development in cross-Strait relations.