Russia, China Officially Have Confirmed Renunciation of Territorial Claims, Diplomat Says

"What some fringe politicians obsessed with revanchism think about this, someone else can worry about, but we won’t," she said, commenting on a remark by Lai Ching-te, head of the Taiwanese administration, that China should seize lands in the Far East from Russia. "In short, Lai, who is being pushed towards separatism by the Americans, can say whatever he likes but it will do no good for him or Taiwanese residents," Zakharova added, TASS reported.

Meanwhile, the Russian diplomat stressed that "the mutual renunciation of territorial claims by Moscow and Beijing had been enshrined in the July 16, 2001, Treaty of Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, with Moscow and Beijing putting border issues to bed once and for all by signing the Additional Agreement on the Eastern part of the Russia-China Border on October 14, 2004, and ratifying the document later."

"This position was confirmed in a number of other joint documents that China and Russia adopted at various levels, including at the highest one," the diplomat went on to say. "Russia has consistently respected the One China principle, and views the Chinese government as the country’s only legitimate government." That said, "the Taiwanese administration head is in no position to make statements on behalf of Beijing," and Taipei could only be recommended "not to overestimate itself when eyeing something that belongs to someone else," Zakharova noted.

According to her, Lai should "pay more attention to the island’s economic issues and demonstrate a constructive approach to the Chinese leadership’s proposal of a peaceful reunification with mainland China."

"We are confident that our friends in Beijing share the same position," the diplomat concluded.