Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed disappointment in the Thai government after Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited China and a joint statement was issued declaring that Thailand recognizes Taiwan as part of China.
On Tuesday, 21 July 2026, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs website published a joint statement between the Chinese and Thai governments. It stated that Thailand recognizes Taiwan as an inseparable part of China and will not support Taiwan's independence. Furthermore, Thailand supports China's One Country, Two Systems policy.
This statement, issued after Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, led Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to express disappointment with the Thai government for ignoring the facts and yielding to China's diminishing of Taiwan's sovereignty.
Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chialung said Taiwan opposes China using international forums to undermine Taiwan's international status and expressed regret that Thailand accepted Beijing's position.
When asked by reporters whether the statement would affect the visa-free measures between Taiwan and Thailand, Lin said Taiwan's visa policy is based on reciprocity and equal treatment. He also noted that the two countries still maintain close economic ties and regular people-to-people exchanges.
The joint Thailand-China statement also mentioned Thailand's support for the "One Country, Two Systems" policy. However, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this claim is untrue and undermines Taiwan's sovereignty.
The ministry confirmed that Taiwan is a sovereign and independent country, and that Taiwan and China are not colonies or under each other's governance. It accused Beijing of using joint statements with other countries to spread false claims and attempt to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan also called on Thailand to value their long-standing relationship and to stop supporting China's pressure on Taiwan, warning that otherwise Thailand itself will become a victim of China's undermining of regional peace and security.
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Source:taiwannews