On March 23, Morgunblaðið published an unjustified editorial which drawn a comparison between the Ukraine issue and the Taiwan question. The spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Iceland issued an article entitled Taiwan Is Not Ukraine to refute these wrong remarks. On March 25, the article was featured in full as following:

    Recently, some media professionals have drawn a comparison between the Ukraine issue and the Taiwan question. This is completely wrong, exposing their astonishing ignorance and shallow views on related issues and history. I would like to make some clarifications as follows:

    The Taiwan question and the Ukraine issue are fundamentally different in nature, thus are not comparable at all. First of all, according to the legal fact, Taiwan is not a sovereign country and has always been an inalienable part of China. The one-China principle is a universally recognized norm governing international relations which has been recognized by the United Nations and more than 170 countries around the world including Iceland. Secondly, historically speaking, the Taiwan question was caused by a Chinese civil war in the last century, which led to political confrontation between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. However, China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity have never been divided and cannot be divided. This is the actual fact of the Taiwan question. Some people, while emphasizing the principle of sovereignty on the Ukraine issue, have kept undermining China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Taiwan question. This is a blatant act of double standards. Taiwan affairs are China's internal affairs, and the Chinese government firmly opposes other countries interfering in China’s internal affairs.

    Just like Iceland, China feels keenly about the humanitarian plight on the ground of Ukraine. China has proposed a six-point initiative to prevent a massive humanitarian crisis, and has provided three batches of emergency humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. We have always maintained that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, Ukraine included, must be respected. We must uphold the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and respect and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. We must adhere to the notion of indivisible security and accommodate the legitimate security concerns of the parties involved. We must settle disputes by peaceful means through dialogue and negotiation. And we must keep in mind the long-term peace and stability of the region and put in place a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism. China supports all international efforts that are constructive and conducive to a political settlement, and will continue to play a constructive role in promoting dialogue for peace.

       Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Iceland

                       March 25, 2022