Yahoo Finance Beijing objects after India's Modi thanks Taiwanese leader Lai for election message
Beijing has protested against newly re-elected Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's response to a congratulatory message from Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te and urged New Delhi to be vigilant about Taipei's "political conspiracy".
Mainland China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Thursday that Beijing firmly opposed any form of official exchange between the authorities in Taiwan and countries with diplomatic relations with Beijing.
"India has made a solemn political commitment regarding [the one-China policy] and it should be aware of and vigilant against the political conspiracy by the Taiwanese side," Mao said.
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On Wednesday, Lai posted a message on X, formerly Twitter, congratulating Modi on winning his third term. Lai said he looked forward to boosting cooperation between Taiwan and India in areas such as the economy and technology.
"We look forward to enhancing the fast-growing Taiwan-India partnership, expanding our collaboration on trade, technology, and other sectors to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," Lai's post read.
In thanking Lai, Modi replied that he also looked forward to "closer ties as we work towards mutually beneficial economic and technological partnership".
Mao, the ministry spokeswoman, said that Beijing had protested to Delhi and reaffirmed "there is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the People's Republic of China".
Cross-strait relations and Beijing's ties with Delhi have suffered in recent years amid growing geopolitical tensions.
Lai of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was sworn in as the island's new leader last month. Beijing has called him a "separatist" and "troublemaker", sparking fears that cross-strait relations will remain strained under Lai.
Beijing views Taiwan as part of its territory that must eventually be brought under its control, by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.
Modi faces deteriorating India-China ties as he begins his new term as prime minister. In addition to a continued border conflict between the two countries, Beijing and Delhi have different views about various Indo-Pacific issues and China's power rivalry with the United States.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has yet to congratulate Modi following his election victory on Tuesday. Five years ago, Xi sent his congratulations just one day after Modi secured his second term.
The border dispute has been a major obstacle in bilateral relations. In June 2020, at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed in clashes in the Galwan Valley along their disputed Himalayan border.
Troops from the two countries reportedly clashed at least twice in 2022, though no deaths were reported.
But bilateral ties have seen new light this year. Last month, Beijing appointed senior diplomat Xu Feihong as its new ambassador to India, filling an 18-month void.
In an interview with Chinese state broadcaster CGTN, Xu cited an understanding between Xi and Modi, saying that the two countries were cooperation partners, not competitors, and the relationship presented opportunities for development, not threats.
Xu's appointment came after Beijing and Delhi held rounds of commander-level discussions about the border situation, with the latest round concluding in mid-February.
So far, the two sides have held 21 rounds of military talks and 29 rounds of diplomatic negotiations to address the border stand-off.
As ties with Beijing slowly revived, Modi chose to remain silent on Lai's election victory and his inauguration last month, distancing India from Western nations that have sent congratulations to the Taiwanese leader.
This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
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