Puma Shen to TAO: 'No need to point fingers' after being told Taiwanese will 'draw a clear line' with him

(CNA, Taipei, May 21, by reporter Wang Yang-yu) China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) stated its belief that the vast majority of Taiwanese compatriots will draw a clear line with Puma Shen, a Taipei mayoral candidate from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). In an interview today, Shen responded, "Someone who can't even draw their own lines clearly has no business pointing fingers at the people of Taiwan." Media reports indicated that China's TAO accused Shen of flagrantly promoting "fallacies of Taiwan independence and separatism," and expressed confidence that "the vast majority of Taiwanese compatriots will draw a clear line with him." In response, Shen, speaking to the media at the Legislative Yuan today, said that regarding the TAO's call for Taiwanese people to draw a line with him, he had a message for the TAO. He noted that China previously sanctioned U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, yet Rubio just recently visited China. Therefore, Shen said, "someone who can't even draw their own lines clearly has no business pointing fingers at the people of Taiwan." Shen also pointed out that the TAO enjoys making various accusations against him. The deepest reason, he argued, is China's blatant unwillingness to accept Taiwan as a sovereign and independent country and its desire to annex Taiwan, with missiles aimed at the island. He expressed confidence that the Taiwanese people will not bow to this pressure, and stated, "China's current sanctions against me are my best medal." (Editor: Su Lung-chi) 1150521