China on Monday accused Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te of "heresy," hostility and provocation, after a speech in which he said the island is "of course" a country and there is historical evidence and legal proof to back this up.
Beijing says democratically governed Taiwan is "sacred" Chinese territory that has belonged to China since ancient times, and that the island is one of its provinces with no right to be called a state.
Lai and his government strongly reject that view, and have offered talks with China multiple times but have been rejected. China calls Lai a separatist.
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