Taiwan election results will not change the basic fact that there is only one China and Taiwan is part of China, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday (Jan. 14), as reported by state-run media CGTN.

Wang also warned that the pursuit of independence will be met with "punishment".

Taiwan's election

On Jan. 13, 2024, Taiwan held an election to determine their eighth President.

William Lai Ching-te, Vice President of Taiwan and candidate for the incumbent Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), ultimately won the presidential election.

Taiwan's election is China's local affairs: Wang

The Taiwan election, which Wang referred to as a "regional leadership election", is China's local affairs, he said to the press after a meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.

The outcome of the election will not change the consensus of the international community to respect the One China policy, he added.

"Taiwan has never been a country. It was not the case in the past, and it will never be in the future," Wang asserted.

The Chinese Foreign Minister said that anybody who does not comply with the One China policy is infringing on China's sovereignty.

Anyone looking to pursue Taiwan independence is fragmenting China's territory and will be punished by history and law, Wang said.

He added that Taiwan's independence poses a threat to the Taiwanese, harms the fundamental interests of China, and undermines peace and stability along the Taiwan Straits.

He said that Taiwan will eventually return to the motherland and China will achieve reunification.

"We believe that the international community will continue to support the Chinese people's just cause of opposing 'Taiwan independence' separatist activities and striving for national reunification based on the One-China principle," Wang said.

Face reality

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Sunday (Jan. 14) called on Beijing to "respect the election results" and "face reality".

The ministry added that more than 50 countries congratulated Lai on becoming Taiwan's eighth president.

The China's Foreign Ministry's comment that the "Taiwan question is China's internal affair" is completely inconsistent with international understanding and goes against global democracy, MOFA asserted.

The Jan. 13 election demonstrates the maturity and stability of Taiwan's democratic politics, MOFA stated, calling on Beijing to "give up" its "oppression" against Taiwan.

Only then can the Taiwan Strait usher in peace, stability, and prosperity, and positive cross-strait interactions resume, MOFA wrote.

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Top image via @Ashish2821 and Getty Images.