- The Indian Prime Minister angered China after his reelection.
- He received congratulations from the Taiwanese leader.
- Tensions are rising between Asia’s two largest powers, India and China.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi infuriated China in one of his first acts after being re-elected for a historic third term.
Modi, who was re-elected on Tuesday by a much narrower margin than expected, was congratulated by Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te.
“I look forward to working towards mutually beneficial economic and technological partnership and forging closer ties,” PM Modi said in a post on X.
China is often infuriated when countries publicly recognise Taiwan’s independence.
China has long regarded Taiwan as its legitimate territory and has threatened the independently ruled island with invasion.
China’s foreign ministry criticised Modi’s message at a press conference on Wednesday.
“India has made important political commitments and should be aware of, be wary of and resist the political agenda of the Taiwan authorities,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Mao Ning said at a news conference in Beijing on Thursday, Bloomberg reported.
Tensions have been rising between Asia’s largest powers, China and India, as New Delhi seeks to counter what it sees as increasing Chinese aggression in the region. Clashes on the two countries’ Himalayan border in 2020 left 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers dead.
India and Taiwan do not have formal diplomatic ties, but Prime Minister Modi has worked to strengthen economic ties with Taiwan during his 10 years in office.
“There is a foundation for India and Taiwan to move forward. [with a trade deal]”We are not a government that is just trying to get people to agree with us,” Taiwan’s longest-serving cabinet minister, John Deng, told the Financial Times in April.
