China Files Complaint Over South Korean President
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Sulaiman
- . April 24, 2023
- . Update: April 24, 2023 6:08 pm
The South Korean president made “erroneous” comments about Taiwan, according to China’s foreign ministry, and vice-minister for foreign affairs Sun Weidong has complained to the South Korean ambassador in Beijing.
According to a statement from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday, Sun told the ambassador that Yoon Suk-yeol’s comments were “totally unacceptable” and that he also expressed “strong dissatisfaction”.
According to Yoon, increased tension around Taiwan was caused by attempts to change the status quo by force, and he opposed such attempts. This statement sparked the diplomatic dispute between Beijing and Seoul.
The leader of South Korea added that the conflict between China and Taiwan now affects the entire world.
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Like the issue of North Korea, the Taiwan issue is a global one, he told Reuters. It is not just an issue between China and Taiwan.
Chinese officials vehemently denied drawing any parallels between the Taiwan and North Korea issues.
Sun spoke to the foreign ministry and said the South Korean leader did not mention the One China principle but equated Taiwan with the Korean Peninsula.
The statement read, “Both North and South Korea are sovereign states that have acceded to the United Nations.” It is a well-known fact that the problems with the Korean Peninsula and Taiwan are completely unrelated in terms of their nature, location, and longitude.
According to the One China policy, China insists that Taiwan, which is democratically run, is part of its territory, a claim Taipei vehemently disputes. Beijing demands that all nations it has relations with adopt its stance that Taiwan is Chinese territory. Additionally, China has said it cannot rule out using force to bring Taiwan back together with the mainland.
Sun’s complaint came after last week’s criticism of South Korea by the Chinese foreign ministry, which said it should “prudently” handle Taiwan-related issues. Seoul retaliated by summoning China’s ambassador to denounce Beijing’s comments as a “serious diplomatic discourtesy” and to express its displeasure.
Before Yoon’s state visit to the United States, South Korea’s main ally, China protested. Beijing has long criticized the US for arming Taiwan and has alleged increasingly that Washington supports politicians who support independence on the self-governing island.
The US Department of State reportedly concurred with Yoon’s remarks on Taiwan on Friday, according to the Yonhap News Agency in South Korea.
According to some news on Saturday, Department spokesperson Vedant Patel “said the United States will continue to work with its allies, including South Korea, to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait”.
In a speech at a forum in Shanghai on Friday, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang also seemed to refer to the South Korean president’s remark.
“Recently, there has been absurd rhetoric accusing China of upending the status quo, disrupting peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” said Qin. “The conclusion is dangerous and the logic is absurd.”
China this month launched military drills after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen visited the US and met with Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy in California, adding to the recent escalation of tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
Sum Up of China Files Complaint Over South Korean President
In conclusion, China’s filing of a complaint against South Korea regarding President Moon Jae-in highlights the importance of diplomatic relations between countries and how they can easily become strained. This incident serves to remind us all that words and actions should be carefully considered, as they can lead to severe reactions from other nations. Let us hope for peace and cooperation between China and South Korea in the future.
