Taipei [Taiwan] May 23 (ANI): Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng has accused China of attempting to erase the Republic of China and forcibly annex Taiwan, stressing that Beijing, not Taipei, is responsible for destabilising the Taiwan Strait and altering the regional 'status quo', as reported by The Taipei Times.

According to The Taipei Times, speaking in an interview, Chiu said the Chinese government has consistently expanded military intimidation and grey-zone tactics against Taiwan while falsely portraying Taipei as the source of tensions.

He argued that Beijing's long-term objective is to undermine Taiwan's sovereignty and pressure it into accepting Chinese rule.

Chiu noted that the United States has repeatedly reaffirmed its support for Taiwan and regional stability.

Referring to statements by US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he said Washington's Taiwan policy remains unchanged despite recent diplomatic engagements between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Chiu emphasised that continued US arms sales are essential for maintaining deterrence and preserving peace across the Taiwan Strait.

The minister also highlighted America's long-standing policy of 'strategic ambiguity' regarding military intervention in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan.

He added that countries along the First Island Chain continue to prioritise strengthening their defence capabilities to counter Beijing's growing military assertiveness.

Reaffirming Taiwan's political position, Chiu said the MAC would continue defending the Republic of China as a sovereign and democratic state while safeguarding freedom, democracy and regional peace.

He stressed that maintaining the current 'status quo' should not be interpreted as advocating formal Taiwan independence.

Chiu further accused Beijing of broadening its definition of 'Taiwan independence' to target nearly every aspect of Taiwan's governance and international engagement, including defence procurement, diplomatic outreach and measures against Chinese influence operations, as highlighted by The Taipei Times.

He also criticised Taiwan's opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), alleging that delays in approving defence budgets could weaken international confidence in Taiwan's ability to defend itself against Chinese pressure.

Chiu warned that any political force echoing Beijing's narratives risked becoming part of China's united front strategy against Taiwan, as reported by The Taipei Times. (ANI)