Russia and China declare friendship without borders when both are equally
hostile to the United States. However, the announcement angered Taiwan
because it coincided with the Winter Olympics.
Taipei, on Saturday (5/2/2022), said that the Beijing government had
embarrassed the spirit of the Olympics.
China and Russia, at their leaders' meeting hours before the Winter Olympics
officially opened, backed each other over the impasse in the Ukraine and
Taiwan crises with promises to collaborate more against the West.
Russia has voiced its support for China's stance that democratically
self-governing Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, and opposes any form
of independence for the island.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says China's continued false claims
that the island is part of the People's Republic of China (PRC) are exactly
the same as the country's habit of spreading fake news.
"This not only increases the disgust and hatred of the Taiwanese people for
the arrogance and oppression of the Chinese government, but also clearly
shows all countries in the world the evil face of the Chinese Communist
regime's aggression, expansionism and peace-building," the ministry said.
"At a time when the world's eyes are focused on the Winter Olympics and
cheering on their athletes, the Chinese government has used the summit
[with] Russia to engage in the expansion of authoritarianism," the ministry
continued.
"This is an insult to the peaceful spirit embodied by the Olympic Ring, and
will be rejected by the Taiwanese people and despised by democratic
nations."
The United States also criticized the meeting, saying Chinese President Xi
Jinping should use the meeting to push for a de-escalation of tensions in
Ukraine.
The Olympics, in which Taiwan has sent a small team of four athletes to
compete, come at a time of heightened tension between Taipei and Beijing,
where China regularly sends military ships and planes near the island.
While Russia is a close friend of China, both Moscow and Taipei maintain
small de facto embassies in their respective capitals.
Former Taiwan President Chiang Ching-kuo, who initiated tentative democratic
reforms, speaks Russian and is married to a Russian woman he met while
working there in the 1930s.
