China Warns Countries Congratulating Taiwan’s President-Elect Lai Ching-te

China’s foreign ministry and its embassies around the world warned countries against supporting Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and condemned foreign governments that congratulated Taiwan’s president-elect Lai Ching-te.

The Chinese foreign ministry on Sunday described US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s statement congratulating Taiwan’s president-elect Lai Ching-te as sending a “seriously incorrect signal to Taipei independence separatist forces”.

DPP’s presidential candidate Lai won the Taiwan election on Saturday. Following it, several ministers and politicians from countries sent congratulatory messages to Lai and the DPP. This was not tolerated by China as it terms DPP as a secessionist force.

The Chinese embassy in Britain condemned what it called the “incorrect actions” of British Foreign Minister David Cameron after he congratulated Lai and his party. “We urge the UK to acknowledge the position that Taiwan is a province of China…,” the Chinese embassy in Britain said.

The Chinese embassy in Japan came up with an official diplomatic protest, after Japanese foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa congratulated Lai. “We solemnly urge the Japanese side to … refrain from disrupting peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and China-Japan relations,” the Chinese embassy said.

Xiao Qian, Chinese ambassador to Australia, on Friday warned Australian government of unspecified dangers if it were to support “Taiwan independence forces”.