China-Egypt joint statement calls Taiwan part of China; Taipei protests
Taiwan's government has hit back after China got Egypt to endorse its claim over the island, a diplomatic setback for Taipei and a win for Beijing's pressure campaign.
- Xi Jinping visited Egypt this week and signed a joint statement saying Taiwan is an inseparable part of the People's Republic of China.
- Taiwan's foreign ministry called the wording a serious distortion of reality and lodged a formal protest.
- Taipei insists it is a sovereign state and that neither side of the strait is subordinate to the other.
- The push is part of a wider effort by Beijing to get other governments to repeat its language on Taiwan in official documents.
- Taiwan says the pressure only hardens its resolve to defend its democratic system.
Outlook: Expect Beijing to keep seeking similar wording in deals with partner countries, and Taipei to keep protesting each one.