China lodged a protest with India over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's social media statement expressing interest in closer ties with Taiwan. China insists that New Delhi should avoid Taiwan authorities' 'political calculations.' China considers Taiwan a rebellious province that needs to be reunited with the mainland, even by force. Modi's comments were in response to Taiwan President Lai Ching-te's congratulatory message on his election victory.
Lai, who became Taiwan's President last month, aims to strengthen the Taiwan-India partnership in various sectors for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. In response, Modi welcomed closer economic and technological collaboration. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson criticized the interaction, emphasizing that Taiwan is an integral part of China and opposing official exchanges between Taiwan and countries recognizing China.
China has urged India to reject Taiwan's political maneuvers. Taiwan's President Lai, 54, called on Beijing to respect the island's sovereignty in his inaugural address after his party's victory amid increasing Chinese threats.
