Taiwan is enhancing self-defense capabilities through developing asymmetrical strategies to deter China’s aggression and defend democratic values, Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu said.
The minister made the remarks during a joint interview with 15 media outlets from Europe earlier this month for reports recently published in Slovenia’s 24ur.com, Italy’s Il Foglio, the U.K.’s The Independent, Norway’s Dagbladet and Austria’s Die Presse, among others.
Wu said despite constant threats from China, war is neither imminent nor inevitable, adding that Taiwan is doing its best to prevent confrontation over the Taiwan Strait. The Russia-Ukraine war shows that an authoritarian regime can launch an attack on a democratically governed country at will, and Taiwan can relate to the situation in Ukraine, he added.
According to the minister, Taiwan plays a critical role in the global semiconductor chain, while the strait is vital to international maritime navigation. A war in the region will severely affect Taiwan, China and the global economy, having a disastrous impact on all, he said.
Wu said cross-strait peace and stability are indispensable factors to worldwide security and prosperity. It is hoped leaders in Europe will send a strong message to Beijing, opposing any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo through force or coercion, the minister added.
Citing China’s economic coercion such as banning fruit exports from Taiwan, Wu called on European countries to be cautious in conducting trade with China and adopt counterstrategies to potential pressure it may exert.
The minister attributed growing relations between Taiwan and European countries such as the Czech Republic and Lithuania to shared values of freedom and democracy.
The government welcomes the resolutions by the Czechia Senate calling for enhanced cooperation with Taiwan and supportive of the country’s global participation. Taiwan is also grateful to Lithuania for being the first European country to donate COVID-19 vaccines and Taiwan now also enjoys products imported from the Baltic country. He hoped that this type of virtuous cycle will extend to the other European nations. (SFC-E)
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