If China wants Taiwan it should also reclaim land from Russia, says president

President Lai Ching-te pays his respects at a ceremony commemorating the war against Chinese forces on the frontline island of Kinmen. Photograph: Ann Wang/Reuters

If the Chinese Communist party truly believes it has a territorial claim to Taiwan, then it should also be trying to take back land from Russia, Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching-te, has said.

Lai made the remark in an interview to local media on Sunday, noting Beijing’s very different approach to two similar historical moments of territorial loss.