President William Lai (賴清德) on Wednesday last week addressed the eighth Ketagalan Forum: 2024 Indo-Pacific Security Dialogue in Taipei. The annual conference was an occasion for Lai to present before more than 200 delegates from across the world his government’s blueprint to build a prosperous and peaceful Indo-Pacific region.
In so doing, the president warned world leaders about the rise of authoritarian tendencies in different parts of the world.
More to the point, while Russia invaded Ukraine, and North Korea is threatening the peace and stability of northeast Asia, China’s assertive posturing against Taiwan should not be seen as an isolated development.
In this context, Lai was right to say that China’s military expansionism in the East and South China seas, and its military exercises with Russia in the South China Sea, western Pacific and Sea of Japan aim to undermine regional peace and security.
To promote peace, security and stability, Lai underlined four principles: building national military capabilities, strengthening economic security, enhancing cooperation with other democratic countries, and ensuring a stable and principled cross-strait relationship.
The presence of former Indian deputy security adviser Pankaj Saran at the Ketagalan Forum and his meeting with Lai underscored a profound change in Taiwan-India ties. This can be understood from the fact that until recently, it was impossible to expect India to allow a former deputy national security adviser to participate in a Taiwanese government-sponsored conference in Taipei.
True, while India and Taiwan under the leadership of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took initiatives to build ties, Lai has shown a renewed commitment to sustain bilateral momentum.
More to the point, after having been elected for a third term, Modi openly responded to Lai’s congratulatory message by expressing the desire to foster “closer ties” between the two sides and a “mutually beneficial economic and technological partnership.”
These and other political overtures between the two countries indicate the strong possibility of developing security cooperation between Taipei and New Delhi.
In so doing, India and Taiwan should consider promoting government-supported think tank exchanges, and collaboration in understanding each other’s security interests and identifying mutual security interests. Although some developments have taken place in these matters, they are the initiatives of think tanks seeking to engage with each other.
While the Taiwanese government invites Indian experts, former political leaders and diplomats to conferences, the Indian government should also take some initiatives to provide similar platforms to Taiwanese political leaders and experts in India. A pragmatic approach is needed to elevate the relationship between the two sides.
The presence of former Japanese prime minister Yoshihiko Noda as a keynote speaker at the Ketagalan Forum equally underlined Tokyo’s strong support for an independent Taiwan.
Japan’s support for Taiwan’s inclusion in the WHO as an observer should encourage other democratic countries to also support Taiwan at global forums. Moreover, efforts should be taken to include Taiwan in regional and global economic groupings. After all, Taiwan’s economic security cannot be achieved without global support.
Former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley’s argument that Western countries have missed many good opportunities to promote peace by appeasing the expansion of authoritarianism is a wake-up call for the US and others to double down on efforts to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
The deploring regional security conditions in south Asia, west Asia and Ukraine should be considered as warning signs against Taiwan. If the international community is concerned about Taiwan, it should unite its efforts to protect Taiwan’s independence.
Although Taiwan has assumed a place in the list of global issues, global action has so far almost failed to match words with action. Moreover, the world community should realize that the disappearance of Taiwan as an independent country would mark the end of the almost century-old rules-based democratic international system.
Hence, Lai’s four pillars of promoting peace in the Indo-Pacific region should be viewed as indispensable for other countries to realize their national interests in the region.
Sumit Kumar is an assistant professor at the University of Delhi’s Department of Political Science and a former Ministry of Foreign Affairs visiting fellow at National Chengchi University.
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