Taiwan urges China to reclaim Russian lands amid global tensions
The President of Taiwan has called on China to reclaim some of the lands that Russia annexed in the 19th century. These include parts of the Khabarovsk Krai and the Amur region in the Far East. "Russia is now at its weakest, right?" said Lai Ching.
Taiwan is considered a place where the next world conflict could erupt. China demands that the rebellious island return to its borders, which the current authorities in Taipei do not agree to.
Moreover, Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te said in an interview with the media that Beijing should focus on a completely different direction. This concerns the lands currently on Russian territory.
Taiwan's President: China should reclaim from Russia
Lai Ching-te said that if the Chinese authorities want to incorporate Taiwan solely for territorial reasons, they should first settle the matter of Chinese lands that Russia annexed in the 19th century.
"China's intention to attack and annex Taiwan is not because of what any one person or political party in Taiwan says or does. It is not for the sake of territorial integrity that China wants to annex Taiwan.If it is for the sake of territorial integrity, why doesn't it take back the lands occupied by Russia that were signed over in the Treaty of Aigun? Russia is now at its weakest right? said Lai Ching-te.
According to Taiwan's president, Beijing's desire to incorporate Taiwan stems from the ambition to alter the world order. Taiwan is not only a Chinese territory but also holds significant economic and strategic value due to its strategic location and advanced semiconductor industry.
China and Russia. Territorial dispute?
But back to the Treaty of Aigun, signed in 1858. According to it, lands belonging to China on the left side of the Amur River were granted to Russia. The Treaty of Aigun is one of the so-called unequal treaties, where the then-greatest powers used military force to dictate terms to less powerful countries. This document serves as proof to the Chinese of Russian expansionist desires and remains a bone of contention in the relations between the two countries.
Interestingly, in 2015, the Chinese changed the name of the city of Heihe back to Aigun, wishing to remind people of Moscow's conquests from tsarist times. This sparked a reaction among Chinese nationalists, who quietly began to hope that Beijing would make territorial demands against Russia. Currently, however, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping are playing on the same team, as both countries are competing more or less directly with the United States. The question remains, however, whether Moscow, increasingly dependent on Beijing, will eventually turn against its current ally.
