TAIPEI (Reuters – Taiwan should now be called a nation, a French senator stated on Friday in Taipei. He repeated earlier remarks that had angered Beijing who views Taiwan as a province, not a country.

Taiwan’s identity is complicated.

Although officially called the Republic of China it is not recognized by the majority of the rest of the globe. It has diplomatic ties to Beijing and de facto embassies commonly use “Taipei”, to refer to the island. This helps to make sure that China does not get upset.

Alain Richard, the former French defense minister said that Taiwan’s Paris representative office was “very good at representing your country” when he met President Tsai-Ing-wen Thursday.

Beijing: A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Taiwan’s designation as a country by China was “flagrant violation” of the global consensus of the international community.

Zhao Lijian, the spokesperson, said that Richard was either unable to understand and respect international relations norms or that Richard is a selfish person who abducts state-to-state relationships based solely on his own self-interest.

China strongly condemns, and vigorously opposes these actions.

Richard, head of the French Senate’s Taiwan Friendship Group, admitted to reporters that Taiwan’s representatives offices were a difficult issue.

He said in English, “It is a good diplomatic issue. But what strikes me most is that Taiwan is the name of this nation and island.”

So it is pointless to prevent this country using its own name.

This comes at a time when international concerns are growing about the rising tension between Taiwanese and Chinese after nearly 150 Chinese airplanes entered Taiwan’s air-defense zone during a period of four days since Friday.

Since 1949, when the government of the Republic of China was defeated and fled Taiwan after a civil war between the Communists and Taiwan, Taiwan has been under threat of being invaded by China. There has never been an armistice or peace treaty.

France does not have official relations with Taipei but only Beijing. However, there is a large de facto Embassy on the island, staffed by diplomats.

Richard was the French defense minister between 1997 and 2002 under President Jacques Chirac. He has been to Taiwan twice previously.

Although China’s Embassy in Paris strongly warned against the visit this year, three French senators are accompanying him on his trip.