Taiwan politicians dismiss Elon Musk’s ‘ill-informed and belittling’ China comments

Taiwanese politicians have dismissed comments from Elon Musk, the world's richest person, that allowing China to have some control over the island would resolve the cross-strait dispute, urging him to respect the wishes of Taiwan's citizens.

Musk's suggestion to "figure out a special administrative zone for Taiwan that is reasonably palatable," given in an interview with the Financial Times on Saturday, was welcomed by China's ambassador to the US.

China's government claims Taiwan is a province, and has threatened to annex it by force if it cannot be "unified" with the mainland peacefully. Taiwan maintains it is an independent nation and has vowed to resist any attempted invasion or annexation.

Musk's comments, which were given without further elaboration, united Taiwan's divisive political environment in rejecting them.

Taiwan's de facto ambassador to the US, Hsiao Bi-khim, said Taiwan's "freedom and democracy are not for sale".

"Any lasting proposal for our future must be determined peacefully, free from coercion, and respectful of the democratic wishes of the people of Taiwan."

The mainland affairs council said Taiwan, which has the world's leading semiconductor manufacturers, has worked with Tesla for a long time. The council told Bloomberg Musk's proposal was "based on investment interests to turn a democratic country into a special administration." It invited Musk to learn about how a free market can develop differently to autocratic China.