Taiwan hopes that the world would sanction China like it is sanctioning Russia for its war on Ukraine if Beijing invaded the nation, Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said yesterday.
Ukraine’s plight has won broad public sympathy in Taiwan due to what many people view as the parallels between what is happening in the European country and what could happen if China ever uses force to bring the nation it claims as its own under Chinese control.
Speaking to reporters in Taipei at an event to mark the founding of what would become the EU, Wu said it was important to stand with others in denouncing the invasion and sanctioning Russia and Belarus.
Photo: Ben Blanchard, Reuters
“In the future, if we are threatened with force by China, or are invaded, of course we hope the international community can understand and support Taiwan, and sanction these kinds of aggressive behaviors,” he added.
“So Taiwan stands with the international community, and takes these actions,” Wu said, referring to the sanctions.
Taiwan has raised its alert level since the Ukraine war began, wary of China making a similar move, although the government has reported no signs of an imminent Chinese attack.
China, which has not condemned Russia’s invasion, has dismissed any comparisons with Taiwan, saying it is not a country and merely a Chinese province, a view the democratically elected government in Taipei strongly disputes.
Speaking at the same event, Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) said Ukraine has “performed very well,” standing up to Russia for more than 70 days, earning Taiwan’s “admiration.”
“We hope Ukraine will definitely be victorious, and stand firm to the end to victory,” You said.
How the world would react to a Chinese invasion of Taiwan is unclear, given that most countries, including the US and all EU member states, only have formal diplomatic ties with Beijing, not Taipei, and unlike Ukraine do not recognize Taiwan as a country.
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