Taiwan-China Tensions: Historical Claims at Crossroads

In a fresh twist to the Taiwan-China saga, China has slammed Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te's assertions on the island's nationhood as 'heresy' and provocative. Lai's comments on Taiwan being a country with historical and legal evidence backing were met with strong opposition from Beijing.

China considers Taiwan as part of its sacred territory, asserting it has belonged to China since ancient times. However, President Lai and his administration reject these claims, insisting on multiple occasions that Taiwan is independent and encourages dialogue, which Beijing has consistently rejected.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office criticized Lai's statements, labeling them as a mix of inaccuracies and provocations. Meanwhile, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council reiterated the island's objective existence, refuting Beijing's claims as baseless. Both sides remain firm as tensions heighten over Taiwan's status.

(With inputs from agencies.)