Vietnam upholds ‘One China’ policy after Taiwan election

“On the basis of steadfastly implementing the ‘One China’ policy, Vietnam maintains and develops folk and non-governmental relations with Taiwan in the fields of economics – trade, investment, science and technology culture, education…, and does not develop any state-level relations with Taiwan,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said on Sunday when asked about Vietnam’s stance regarding the results of Taiwan’s election, Vietnam News Agency reported.

Pham Thu Hang, spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by the ministry

Hang said that Vietnam respects the principle of non-interference in each other’s internal affairs and believes that peace, stability, and cooperation in the Taiwan Strait play an important role for the region and the world.

Lai Ching-te, 64-year-old representative of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), won Taiwan’s leadership election on Saturday.

Lai graduated from Harvard University and turned to politics in 1996 during the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis.

He served as a lawmaker and then deputy to leader Tsai Ing-wen, whom he will now succeed, AFP reported.

He has vowed to continue Tsai’s policies of building up Taiwan’s military capabilities as a defense deterrence, it said.

Lai Ching-te (C) declares victory in Taiwan’s leadership election at the headquarters of the Democratic Progressive Party in Taipei on Jan. 13, 2024. Photo by AFP

China always views Taiwan as an inseparable part of its territory and is willing to use any means to unify the island. Chinese leaders have repeatedly affirmed that they do not rule out using force to reclaim the island, although the general policy is still dialogue and peaceful unification.