MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Taiwan protests Uruguay–China statement calling the island an “inalienable” part of China

Taiwan’s government issued a “strong protest and condemnation” after a joint statement released in Beijing by Uruguay’s President Yamandú Orsi and China’s President Xi Jinping reiterated Montevideo’s adherence to the “one China” principle and described Taiwan as an “inalienable” part of Chinese territory.

In its response, Taiwan’s foreign ministry said the “Republic of China (Taiwan)” is a “sovereign and independent” state and is “not subordinate” to the People’s Republic of China, stressing that the Chinese Communist Party has “never ruled Taiwan.” Taipei urged Uruguay to “recognize China’s true intentions” in expanding its global influence and warned against endorsing rhetoric it said undermines regional peace and stability.

The Taiwan language was embedded in a broader diplomatic package signed during Orsi’s official trip, which included a bilateral summit with Xi and the signing of memoranda spanning investment and industrial cooperation, science and technology, environmental cooperation, fisheries management, trade facilitation and emergency management, as well as sanitary and export-related protocols. Uruguay’s foreign minister Mario Lubetkin framed the joint statement as part of a “long trajectory” in bilateral ties and aligned with what he called a “new phase” in global affairs, with an emphasis on trade and investment.

The wording on Taiwan mirrors language used in earlier Uruguay–China joint communiqués sparked criticism from opposition figures at home, who questioned the prudence of taking a sharply worded position on a sensitive geopolitical issue. Uruguay and China established diplomatic relations in 1988, and the relationship has expanded alongside China’s growing weight as a key partner for Uruguayan exports and broader economic engagement.

China views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve “reunification,” while Taiwan maintains that its future should be decided by its people under its democratic system