New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): Taiwanese legislator Chia-Pin Chung underlined the importance of India in regional stability and said that Taiwan hopes to work together with such countries for the prosperity of the region.

He also said that Taiwan looks forward to having peaceful relations with China and emphasised its sovereignty.

Speaking to ANI, Chia-Pin Chung said, 'India is a strong and powerful country, and it is an important player for regional stability. Taiwan hopes to work with countries in the region for the stability and prosperity of the region.'

'Taiwan is like India; we always wish to have peaceful relations with China. However, China has unlawful territorial ambitions. Taiwan does not stand with China on its claim that Taiwan is part of China,' Chung said.

China's claim over Taiwan is a complex issue rooted in historical, political, and legal arguments. Beijing asserts that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, a viewpoint embedded in national policy and upheld by domestic laws and international statements.

Taiwan, however, maintains a distinct identity, functioning independently with its own government, military, and economy. Taiwan's status remains a significant point of international debate, testing the principles of sovereignty, self-determination, and non-interference in international law, as per the United Service Institution of India.

China's claim to Taiwan originates from the Qing Dynasty's annexation of the island in 1683 after defeating Ming loyalist Koxinga. However, Taiwan remained a peripheral region under limited Qing control. The key shift came in 1895, when the Qing ceded Taiwan to Japan after the First Sino-Japanese War, marking Taiwan as a Japanese colony for 50 years. After Japan's defeat in World War II, Taiwan was returned to Chinese control, but the sovereignty transfer was not formalised.

In 1949, the Chinese Civil War resulted in the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on the mainland, while the Republic of China (ROC) retreated to Taiwan, asserting its claim to govern all of China. This led to dual sovereignty claims: the PRC over the mainland and the ROC over Taiwan. Taiwan has operated as a de facto independent state but has avoided declaring formal independence to prevent military conflict with the PRC, United Service Institution of India states. (ANI)