Taipei [Taiwan], April 25 (ANI): Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has strongly criticised Beijing after Chinese officials dismissed the existence of the Republic of China (ROC) presidency, escalating tensions following the cancellation of President William Lai's planned trip to Africa, as reported by The Taipei Times.

According to The Taipei Times, Lai had been scheduled to travel to Eswatini, Taiwan's only diplomatic partner in Africa, earlier this week. However, the visit was abruptly scrapped after Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar withdrew overflight permissions for his chartered aircraft at short notice.

Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Men-an attributed the disruption to what he described as 'intense pressure' from China, including alleged economic coercion directed at the three African nations.

The development has raised fresh concerns in Taipei about Beijing's expanding influence over smaller states.

At a press briefing in Taipei, MAC Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh condemned remarks made by China's Taiwan Affairs Office and foreign ministry, saying they effectively deny the existence of the ROC and its leadership.

Liang argued that Beijing's stance reflects a broader attempt to erase Taiwan's political identity on the global stage, as highlighted by The Taipei Times.

The controversy stems from statements by Chinese officials reiterating the 'One China' principle, under which Taiwan is considered part of the People's Republic of China.

A spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office asserted that there is 'only one China' and dismissed the notion of a Taiwanese president altogether. Similarly, China's foreign ministry claimed that the ROC presidency 'no longer exists.'

Taiwan has firmly rejected these assertions, maintaining that the ROC is a sovereign state with a democratically elected government, as reported by Taipei Times.

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. (ANI)