TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's representative to France Francois Wu (吳志中) reaffirmed Taiwan’s sovereignty in a French TV interview on Friday (June 14).

Speaking to CNews, Wu said Taiwan’s sovereignty is determined by the Taiwanese, not by France, the U.S., or China, per CNA.

Despite not being officially recognized by France, Taiwan is recognized by some countries he said. The number of diplomatic allies does not determine Taiwan's independence and sovereignty, he stressed, adding that Taiwan is already a sovereign country.

Wu pointed out that President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) received nearly six million votes in the January election. He said that Taiwan's president has more legitimacy than China's president, who is decided by one person.

The representative said Taiwan plays a crucial role in the semiconductor industry, producing 60% of the world's semiconductors and 92% of the most advanced chips. Taiwan's stability is a "common interest" globally because it is fully integrated into the global economic system, he said. If China threatens this stability, the global economy will be disrupted, he said.

Wu also highlighted Taiwan's political values and democracy. He said Taiwan represents an alternative for the Chinese-speaking world. Taiwan demonstrates that the Chinese-speaking world, and even Asia, can function well under democratic values, he said.

Wu became the representative to France in 2018. He was appointed deputy foreign minister in May and will return to Taiwan in September.