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Taiwan condemned Beijing and Moscow today for a joint statement in which they called the island an "integral part" of China, and accused Russia of "bowing to China's demands", AFP reported, quoted by BTA.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs formally protests and condemns the authoritarian expansionist government (of China) that continues to make false statements on the international stage to defame and harm our country's sovereignty," the Taiwanese communique said.

Taipei also condemned "Russia's attempt to bow to China's demands in favor of their aggressive and expansionist collusion."

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Monday and Tuesday in Moscow.

The two signed a joint statement pledging to deepen their strategic partnership and reaffirming Russia's support for China on the Taiwan issue.

China claims the democratic and autonomous island of Taiwan as part of its territory, which it is ready to reclaim, if necessary even by force.

In the general statement, Russia reaffirms that it adheres to the Beijing principle of "one China" and calls Taiwan "an integral part of the People's Republic of China" - the People's Republic of China, as indicated by the text quoted in the Moscow official "Rosiiskaya Gazeta".

Geopolitical expert: Taiwan is much more important to China than Ukraine is to Russia

Russia "declares itself against the independence of Taiwan in any form, firmly supports the actions of the Chinese side to protect its state sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement reads.

Taiwan is under constant threat of invasion from the mainland, and Russia's incursion into Ukraine has fueled fears on the island that Beijing could launch a similar offensive.

In recent years, Beijing has stepped up military, economic and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan, staging large-scale military maneuvers around the island in 2022 that Taipei says were preparations for an invasion.

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