Taiwan Representative to the EU and Belgium Roy Chun Lee said the government is committed to strengthening its self-defense capabilities while expanding relations with like-minded partners around the world to promote peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Lee made the remarks during his tenure as deputy foreign minister in an interview last November in Taipei City with Marco Clementi for a documentary that aired Jan. 7 in the program TG1Speciale on RAI1, part of the Italian national public broadcasting company RAI.
According to Lee, although there are concerns in the international community about escalating tensions cross the strait, in Taiwan life continues as normal, including all the usual economic activity.
China is unlikely to attack Taiwan in the near future and the PRC’s expanding defense budgets and frequent air sorties across the Taiwan Strait medium line are just attempts to intimate and divide society, Lee said, adding that attempting to subdue Taiwan without force is Beijing’s current strategy.
Lee said maintaining defense capability is the best way to ensure peace while resolution to defend the homeland is key to success. Taiwan appreciates the U.S.’ assistance in bolstering its economic, technological and national defense development, and the 11 arms sales announced by the Biden administration are encouraging to the nation, he added.
The ambassador welcomed growing exchange between Taiwan and its European partners such as the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia. This positive trend bodes well for the pragmatism that has enhanced Taiwan’s global participation and garnered further support from the international community, he said. (SFC-E)
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