The Foreign Ministry has condemned recent statements by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, saying that his remarks implied Taiwan is a separatist province of China and publicly rationalized China’s drive to unify Taiwan by force, which seriously endangers regional peace and stability. This rebuttal came on Tuesday, August 18.

During an interview with Al Jazeera English on August 16, Anwar made controversial statements on Taiwan’s sovereignty, including characterizing Taiwan as “part of China.”

The Foreign Ministry reiterated that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign and independent country, and that the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China are not subordinate to one another. It added that this fact will never be altered by any false claims made by anyone.

The ministry noted that Malaysia is a democratic nation, and that Anwar has long presented himself as a defender of human rights. It said that Anwar should therefore value universal principles like democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law, and respect and uphold the will of the people. 

The Foreign Ministry said that political maneuvering that echoes the notion of unilaterally changing the status quo across the Taiwan Strait by force severely damages political trust between Taiwan and Malaysia. It added that economic and trade relations between the two sides have always been close, but remarks on national sovereignty, closely connected with economic security, could adversely affect the confidence of Taiwanese businesses considering investment in Malaysia.