A growing number of people in Taiwan are ?? ??? ??realizing that the United States always prioritized "America First" and the island is, to the US, a "pawn" that is used and then abandoned, Chen Binhua, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said on Wednesday.
Chen's comments in Beijing followed a recent survey conducted by Taiwan's Academia Sinica. The survey revealed that 100 days into President Donald Trump's term, 46.7 percent of Taiwan people expressed pessimism regarding the future of the relations with the US.
Additionally, 60 percent of respondents expressed concerns that the US could compromise Taiwan's interests by striking a deal with the Chinese mainland, the survey found.
In response to a media inquiry on Trump's remarks related to "unification" when commenting on the Sino-US trade negotiations, which have drawn high attention in Taiwan, Chen said that "we have taken note of the relevant reports".
Washington and Beijing on Monday agreed to slash steep tariffs for at least 90 days, pausing their trade war, a move Trump praised when speaking to reporters at the White House, Reuters reported on Tuesday.
"I think it's going to be great for unification and peace," Trump said, according to the Reuters report.
Although Trump didn't mention Taiwan, his remarks triggered a discussion on the island of Taiwan.
Chen said: "We hope the international community will gain a broader understanding of and support the just cause of the Chinese people in opposing 'Taiwan independence' separatist activities and striving to achieve national reunification".
The spokesman separately noted that an increasing number of foreign media, experts, and scholars have expressed concerns and condemnation regarding the extreme danger and harm posed by Lai's "Taiwan independence" provocations.
The US website "Foreign Policy" recently published an article by US foreign policy experts that emphasized that the Trump administration should rein in Lai before he mistakes Washington's passivity for approval and entangles the United States in a potentially calamitous war. Chen said the current situation in the Taiwan Strait is complex and severe, stemming from the Lai administration's refusal to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus that embodies the one-China principle, as well as its collaboration with external forces in brazenly promoting "independence" provocations.