On Wednesday last week, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) met with US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California during a transit returning from her state visit to Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in Central America. On the eve of the meeting, China announced a naval patrol conducted by its military-civilian dual-use coast guard fleets along the Taiwan Strait, while dispatching its aircraft carrier groups to navigate the waters close to Taiwan’s southeastern maritime border.
Right after Tsai returned to Taiwan, China on Sunday announced another round of military exercises against Taiwan. As usual, China never stops its intimidation of Taiwan, although it might show a smiling face to other countries to achieve its tactical goals.
China is again flexing its muscles to intimidate Taiwan and its 23.5 million citizens, so as to limit their international space and right to survival. In August last year, after then-US House speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, China held large-scale military exercises around Taiwan using real ammunition. This blatantly damaged regional peace and stability, with serious concerns raised in the region, as well as by the EU, G7 countries and the US.
Over the past few decades, it has been a long-term practice to have frequent parliamentarian exchanges between Taiwan and the US, including offers to facilitate the Taiwanese president’s transit via the US when visiting diplomatic allies in Central and South America.
The military exercises can only be explained if China is becoming increasingly assertive to project its vision of a new international order.
Instead of urging Russia to stop its invasion of Ukraine, Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) is maintaining a favorable position toward Russian President Vladimir Putin. China’s authoritarian expansionist attitude should not be ignored, while we still regret not much having been done before Russia’s invasion.
Notorious communist tactics used to divide Western democracies were once again witnessed when French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen were received differently during their visit to China last week.
As Von der Leyen said before her visit to China, stability and peace are among her main concerns. Annually, more than 50 percent of maritime shipping goes through the Taiwan Strait, and about 70 percent of regular semiconductors and more than 90 percent of advanced semiconductors are manufactured in Taiwan. While China has been reluctant to be an accountable world power, full autonomy of industry supply chains would be ideal.
However, we should face the truth that this cannot be achieved overnight. It is practical to work with like-minded partners, such as Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and allies in Europe and the US to reinforce the resilience of critical industry supply chains.
Taiwan is one of the most dynamic, free and democratic countries in Asia. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it demonstrated its expertise in public health, as well as its strong willingness to help. Taiwan’s fully fledged democracy is an excellent model for countries that are transitioning into democracies. It positive development can also contribute to a better world.
Furthermore, Taiwan is fighting for the values of democracy and freedom, and for our way of life on the front lines. It faces millions of cyberattacks, disinformation and military intimidation on a daily basis from its aggressive neighbor across the Strait. It makes no sense for those in Europe to sit and pretend that nothing is happening until it is too late, as happened in eastern Europe.
Fortunately, more European leaders are realizing that naivety must be discarded, and only solidarity can prevail. Von der Leyen, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg have clearly stated on different occasions that the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait concerns regional peace and stability.
There is absolutely every reason to be vocal about and for Taiwan, and to defend the “status quo” of Taiwan, not only because it concerns our prosperity, but also because it concerns the universal values and way of life underpinned by freedom and democracy.
Democracy and freedom have never been inherited, but can only be earned, defended and preserved. Let us cherish what we have now, and set an example for our children by defending our way of life. History must not be repeated again. That is why I will be vocal on Taiwan, and vocal for Taiwan.
Georges Dallemagne is a politician and member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives. He cochairs the Belgian Parliament’s Belgium-Taiwan Friendship Group.
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