A leading scholar from the Chinese mainland has challenged Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te’s recent assertion that “Taiwan is a country,” stating that it distorts the fundamental principles of statehood.
In a detailed analysis, Wang Yingjin, director of the cross-Strait relations research center at Renmin University of China, argued that Lai’s claim misinterprets the “four elements” theory of statehood: population, territory, government, and sovereignty.
“A closer examination of these elements clearly shows that Taiwan has never been a country, nor will it become one,” Wang wrote in a signed article.
Wang emphasized that the 23 million residents of Taiwan are part of the entire Chinese population. “When we speak of ‘sovereignty belongs to the people,’ it refers to all the people of China, not just those in Taiwan,” he explained.
He noted that while Taiwan’s authorities currently administer the areas of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Mazu, they do so on a temporary basis and do not hold territorial sovereignty over these regions. “Territorial sovereignty should be held jointly by all Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait,” Wang stated.
Wang further clarified that the so-called government mentioned by Lai is merely a local authority within China and does not possess the status of a sovereign entity under international law. “As a local administrative unit, it cannot claim the position of a subject in international affairs,” he said.
He concluded by reaffirming that Taiwan’s sovereignty belongs to China. “Although the two sides of the Taiwan Strait have not yet been fully reunified, China’s sovereignty remains undivided. The fact that both the mainland and Taiwan belong to one China remains unchanged,” Wang added.
“Taiwan is a part of China. This is a fact that brooks no challenge,” he asserted.
