'There Is No President Of Taiwan': China Charges At PM Modi Over Congratulatory Post Response; US Reacts

China views Taiwan as a rebel province that must be reunified with the mainland, even by force.

“First of all, there is no such thing as ‘president’ of the Taiwan region,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a media briefing here when asked by a Western media correspondent for her reaction to the wording in Modi’s message.

“As for your question, China opposes all forms of official interactions between the Taiwan authorities and countries having diplomatic relations with China. There is but one China in the world. Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the People’s Republic of China,” she said.

“The one-China principle is a universally recognised norm in international relations and a prevailing consensus in the international community,” Mao said, adding, “India has made serious political commitments on this and is supposed to recognise, be alarmed about and resist the Taiwan authorities’ political calculations. China has protested to India about this.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Modi's remarks came in response to a congratulatory message from Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on his election victory.

Lai, elected as Taiwan's President last month, in a message posted on X said: “My sincere congratulations to Prime Minister @narendramodi on his election victory. We look forward to enhancing the fast-growing #Taiwan-#India partnership, expanding our collaboration on trade, technology & other sectors to contribute to peace & prosperity in the #IndoPacific.”

In his reply posted on X, Modi said: “Thank you @ChingteLai for your warm message. I look forward to closer ties as we work towards mutually beneficial economic and technological partnership.”

Responding to another question, Mao said India “has diplomatic relations with China. China opposes all forms of official interactions between the Taiwan authorities and countries having diplomatic relations with China. This position is very clear and India knows this well.”

"On the one-China principle, India has made serious political commitments and is supposed to recognise, be alarmed about and resist the Taiwan authorities’ political calculations, and refrain from doing things that violate the one-China principle," Mao reiterated.

Taiwan President Lai, in his inaugural address on May 20, had called on Beijing to cease its intimidation of the self-ruled island after his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which has championed democracy in the face of years of growing threats from China, won.

Response By US

Amid China's protest over the exchange of greetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, the US State Department said such congratulatory messages between two foreign leaders are a part of diplomatic business.

“I would say that such congratulatory messages are the normal course of diplomatic business," State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters on Thursday at his daily news conference.

He was responding to a question on China protesting over Modi's comment that he looked forward to having closer ties with Taiwan after his victory in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections.