Australian media yesterday cited Australian Minister for Defence Peter Dutton as saying that China would likely ramp up its pressure on Taiwan if Russia were to invade Ukraine.
A worsening of the crisis in Ukraine would likely have implications for security in the Indo-Pacific region, the Australian newspaper cited Dutton as saying.
One way that would manifest would be in China making greater encroachments on Taiwan, he said.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Dutton said an invasion of Ukraine would cause instabilities worldwide. Citing an example, he said that for a decade during the Cold War there was instability in Eastern Europe and other parts of the world had also been affected.
Dutton urged the Australian government to pay close attention to the situation in both Ukraine and in the Taiwan Strait.
Separately, the chairman of the Defence and National Security Policy Branch of the Liberal Party in New South Wales, Lincoln Parker, on Sunday said in an interview with Australia’s Sky News that a successful Russian invasion of Ukraine would “leave the door open” for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
“Indeed, [US] President [Joe] Biden is not committing as many troops as some would like,” he was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday published a report by US Studies Center senior fellow Bruce Wolpe, who said that if Russia invades Ukraine, China would likely seek to copy Moscow’s success.
“If Putin succeeds, and endures the sanctions and can tolerate the Ukrainian people’s uprising, and enjoys a resurgence of pride and glory across Mother Russia, [Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平)] may want to copy that playbook for Taiwan. And sooner rather than later,” Wolpe wrote.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old