Chinese foreign ministry's spokesperson Zhao Lijian has corrected a Phoenix Media reporter for referring to Taiwan's foreign minister Joseph Wu as a "foreign minister".

The reporter from the Chinese state-owned media outlet was asking Zhao at a regular press conference on Wednesday, May 26, about his thoughts towards some of Wu's recent remarks.

Taiwan calls for greater support from other democracies

Wu told Canadian media CBC in an interview published on May 24 that Beijing's attempts to spread its influence extends to the Taiwan Strait, East China Sea and South China Sea, adding that Taiwan stands on the front line.

He explained that the self-ruled island has been on the receiving end of Chinese influence operations, disinformation campaigns, military threats and diplomatic isolation.

He further said he hoped fellow democracies can show more support for Taiwan.

Zhao: There is no foreign minister in Taiwan

Before answering the journalist's question regarding the "Taiwanese foreign minister's" comments, Zhao said: "Firstly, I need to correct a mistake that you made, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and a 'foreign minister' does not exist."

He continued to say that Taiwan has repeatedly used the Hong Kong issue to slander China under the guise of the issue of democracy and freedom.

"This sort of ungainly political tactic, which simply aims to gather attention, will never succeed, and will only humiliate themselves," he added.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office's (TAO) spokesperson Zhu Fenglian has also previously criticised Wu by saying he's a "die-hard Taiwan independence advocate", and that China will "do everything possible to punish him severely and hold him accountable throughout his whole life under the law".

She has referred to Wu as the head of the island's "foreign affairs" department.

Cross-strait relations have hit a downward spiral as China becomes increasingly assertive towards Taiwan and the region.

Beijing has recently dropped the word “peaceful” in describing its desire for “reunification” with Taiwan, departing from past standard practices in the last four decades when addressing the Taiwan issue in parliament, Reuters reported.

Beijing might also be wearing Taiwan down incrementally by ratcheting up its incursions into  Taiwan’s air defence zone using its warplanes.

The Chinese Communist Party considers unification with Taiwan a non-negotiable issue and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve this.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, on the other hand, said Taiwan is already independent, and so does not need to declare itself as an independent state.

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Top image adapted via Chinese embassy in Singapore