New Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Tuesday expressed concern over China’s military threat to Taiwan in his first address to the Swedish parliament.
Kristersson delivered his Statement of Government Policy address to lawmakers on his first day as prime minister after winning a parliamentary vote on Monday.
In a section on foreign policy, Kristersson said that Sweden is “facing the greatest foreign, security and defense policy challenges of modern times.”
Photo: AFP
After condemning Russia’s antidemocratic actions and calling for European solidarity, he briefly addressed the Chinese threat.
“China’s latest rhetoric towards Taiwan is worrying,” he said. “Threats of military force are unacceptable. This applies to all countries, and most particularly to permanent members of the UN Security Council.”
Sweden-China relations should be “anchored in a common European strategy with a clear transatlantic link,” he said.
“Sweden will never accept that aggressive states violate democratic countries’ freedom and self-determination,” he added. “Might does not make right.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday thanked Kristersson and his Cabinet for their continued concern for stability in the Taiwan Strait and condemnation of Chinese attempts to change the “status quo.”
Taiwan and Sweden share the universal values of freedom, democracy, rule of law and protection of human rights, while also facing challenges posed by authoritarian states, the ministry said in a statement.
“Now more than ever it is important for our countries to work together to defend the rules-based international order and our shared values,” it said.
The ministry has already requested that the Taipei Mission in Sweden convey the nation’s congratulations to the new government and Swedes, as well as pass along President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) letter of congratulations, it said.
“Taiwan looks forward to working closely with the new Swedish government under the leadership of Prime Minister Kristersson to further deepen friendly bilateral relations in various fields,” it said.
Kristersson is leader of the conservative Moderate Party, which in the past few years has spoken out in support for Taiwan numerous times in the Swedish parliament.
In April, an 11-member delegation from Sweden visited Taiwan led by Boriana Aberg, head of the Swedish-Taiwanese Parliamentary Association.
The three-party coalition between the Moderates, Liberals and Christian Democrats marks the first time since 2014 that conservatives are to govern Sweden, after the right-wing bloc won a narrow majority in Sept. 11 elections.
NATIONAL SECURITY: The Chinese influencer shared multiple videos on social media in which she claimed Taiwan is a part of China and supported its annexation Freedom of speech does not allow comments by Chinese residents in Taiwan that compromise national security or social stability, the nation’s top officials said yesterday, after the National Immigration Agency (NIA) revoked the residency permit of a Chinese influencer who published videos advocating China annexing Taiwan by force. Taiwan welcomes all foreigners to settle here and make families so long as they “love the land and people of Taiwan,” Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) told lawmakers during a plenary session at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei. The public power of the government must be asserted when necessary and the Ministry of
Proposed amendments would forbid the use of all personal electronic devices during school hours in high schools and below, starting from the next school year in August, the Ministry of Education said on Monday. The Regulations on the Use of Mobile Devices at Educational Facilities up to High Schools (高級中等以下學校校園行動載具使用原則) state that mobile devices — defined as mobile phones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches or other wearables — should be turned off at school. The changes would stipulate that use of such devices during class is forbidden, and the devices should be handed to a teacher or the school for safekeeping. The amendments also say
EMBRACING TAIWAN: US lawmakers have introduced an act aiming to replace the use of ‘Chinese Taipei’ with ‘Taiwan’ across all Washington’s federal agencies A group of US House of Representatives lawmakers has introduced legislation to replace the term “Chinese Taipei” with “Taiwan” across all federal agencies. US Representative Byron Donalds announced the introduction of the “America supports Taiwan act,” which would mandate federal agencies adopt “Taiwan” in place of “Chinese Taipei,” a news release on his page on the US House of Representatives’ Web site said. US representatives Mike Collins, Barry Moore and Tom Tiffany are cosponsors of the legislation, US political newspaper The Hill reported yesterday. “The legislation is a push to normalize the position of Taiwan as an autonomous country, although the official US
CONSISTENT COMMITMENT: The American Institute in Taiwan director said that the US would expand investment and trade relationships to make both nations more prosperous The US would not abandon its commitment to Taiwan, and would make Taiwan safer, stronger and more prosperous, American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene said. “The US’ commitment to Taiwan has been consistent over many administrations and over many years, and we will not abandon our commitment to Taiwan, including our opposition to any attempt to use force or coercion to change Taiwan’s status,” he said in an exclusive interview with the Liberty Times (the sister newspaper of the Taipei Times) on Friday last week, which was published in the Chinese-language newspaper yesterday. The US would double down on its efforts
RSS