TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外交部) issued Thursday (June 19) a forceful rebuke against the Astana Declaration, a joint statement claiming Taiwan as "an inseparable part of China." The declaration emerged from talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and five Central Asian leaders at the conclusion of their summit in Kazakhstan. Officials in Taipei expressed both "strong protest and severe condemnation" of the document, which was released following the three-day China-Central Asia Summit held from June 16 to 18.
Taiwan's foreign ministry sharply criticized the Chinese Communist Party (CCP, 中國共產黨) for what it described as a pattern of undermining Taiwan's sovereignty in diplomatic forums with international partners. The statement characterized the Central Asian nations as having uncritically accepted Beijing's territorial claims without proper scrutiny. MOFA officials emphatically declared that the Republic of China, Taiwan (中華民國台灣) and the People's Republic of China (中華人民共和國) are separate entities that "don't belong to each other," while pointedly noting that the Chinese government has never exercised actual control over Taiwan throughout its history.
In a direct appeal to Kazakhstan and its Central Asian neighbors, Taiwan's foreign ministry urged greater diplomatic caution, warning against endorsing statements that contain "aggressive intentions" while disregarding historical realities. The statement reasserted the principle that Taiwan's sovereignty resides exclusively with its 23 million citizens, who retain sole authority to determine their nation's future path. The ministry concluded by reaffirming Taiwan's unwavering dedication to protecting its democratic system and deepening relationships with like-minded democratic partners, measures it considers essential for maintaining stability and security across the increasingly tense Taiwan Strait. ◼