Key Points :
- Taiwan called out China for trying to impose censorship in India by sending a cautionary email to Indian journalists.
- The Chinese Embassy in Delhi advised Indian journalists to observe the “one-China” principle after newspapers carried advertisements for Taiwan’s national day on Saturday.
- The advertisements reportedly contained a photograph of President Tsai Ing-wen and acknowledged India, a fellow democracy, as a natural partner of Taiwan.
Taiwan on Wednesday accused China of trying to impose censorship in India on its note to the Indian media. The Chinese Embassy in Delhi advised Indian journalists to observe the “one-China” principle after newspapers carried advertisements for Taiwan’s national day on Saturday.
China was angered on Wednesday by advertisements placed in India’s leading newspapers by Taiwan’s government as a gesture to mark the democratic, Chinese-claimed island’s national day on Saturday.The advertisement reportedly contained a photograph of President Tsai Ing-wen and acknowledged India as a natural partner of Taiwan.
This contentious event has flared just months after clashes between Indian and Chinese troops at the disputed Himalayan border and India banning 224 Chinese apps citing security reasons.
China, which claims Taiwan as its province, expressed its displeasure in an email sent by the Chinese embassy on Wednesday night to journalists in India, including Reuters.
“Regarding the so-called forthcoming ‘National Day of Taiwan’, the Chinese Embassy in India would like to remind our media friends that there is only one China in the world, and the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China,” the embassy said.
“We hope Indian media can stick to Indian government’s position on the Taiwan question and do not violate the ‘One China’ principle. In particular, Taiwan shall not be referred to as a ‘country (nation)’ or ‘Republic of China’ or the leader of China’s Taiwan region as ‘President’, so as not to send the wrong signals to the general public.”, the Embassy added.
Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu dismissed Beijing’s advice to the media. “India is the largest democracy on Earth with a vibrant press & freedom-loving people. But it looks like communist #China is hoping to march into the subcontinent by imposing censorship. #Taiwan’s Indian friends will have one reply: GET LOST!” he said in a tweet.
Although New Delhi has no formal diplomatic relations with Taipei, both sides have close business and cultural ties. In the past, The central government has avoided upsetting China over Taiwan. However, India-China relations became strained after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a clash with Chinese troops in June which subsequently led to calls from nationalist groups for a boycott of Chinese goods.
“The Chinese government behaves like a street goon, not like an aspiring super-power. It threatens us,” commented Nitin Gokhale, the editor of a defence and security website, after receiving the Chinese embassy’s email.
“There is a free media in India that reports on issues as it sees fit,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at a media briefing seemingly taking a shot at the note.
