Taiwan yesterday joined the US in expressing “deep concerns” over a security pact sealed a day earlier between China and Taipei’s former diplomatic ally the Solomon Islands, a move that many fear could open the door to a Chinese naval base in the South Pacific.
“We share the same stance [as] our democratic allies in expressing concerns over the lack of transparency in a deal that could destabilize regional peace and security,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said.
The deal could also threaten a “supply chain between diplomatic countries,” she said, referring to some experts’ concerns that Beijing’s establishment of bases across the Pacific could threaten US supply lines in the event of war.
Photo: Screengrab from Learn & Study in Taiwan website
She called on the Solomon Islands not to become a “bargaining chip” or assist Beijing in expanding its military presence in the Pacific region.
“Taiwan will continue to work together with like-minded nations to maintain peace, stability and a rules-based international order in surrounding regions,” she added.
The Solomon Islands had been Taiwan’s diplomatic ally since 1983. The two countries cut diplomatic relations in September 2019 after Honiara announced it would ditch Taipei in favor of Beijing.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Wang Wenbin (汪文彬) announced the signing of the security agreement in Beijing on Tuesday evening, saying it would involve China cooperating with Honiara on maintaining social order, protecting people, providing aid, combating natural disasters and safeguarding national security.
However, the US has said that the pact could lead to a Chinese military presence in the Solomon Islands, and Australia and New Zealand are wary of China’s growing influence in a region traditionally under their sway.
The US Department of State on Monday said that the pact “leaves open the door for the deployment of PRC [People’s Republic of China] military forces to the Solomon Islands” and sets a “concerning precedent for the wider Pacific island region.”
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
INCREASED CAPACITY: The flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays would leave Singapore in the morning and Taipei in the afternoon Singapore Airlines is adding four supplementary flights to Taipei per week until May to meet increased tourist and business travel demand, the carrier said on Friday. The addition would raise the number of weekly flights it operates to Taipei to 18, Singapore Airlines Taiwan general manager Timothy Ouyang (歐陽漢源) said. The airline has recorded a steady rise in tourist and business travel to and from Taipei, and aims to provide more flexible travel arrangements for passengers, said Ouyang, who assumed the post in July last year. From now until Saturday next week, four additional flights would depart from Singapore on Monday, Wednesday, Friday
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday reported the return of large-scale Chinese air force activities after their unexplained absence for more than two weeks, which had prompted speculation regarding Beijing’s motives. China usually sends fighter jets, drones and other military aircraft around the nation on a daily basis. Interruptions to such routine are generally caused by bad weather. The Ministry of National Defense said it had detected 26 Chinese military aircraft in the Taiwan Strait over the previous 24 hours. It last reported that many aircraft on Feb. 25, when it spotted 30 aircraft, saying Beijing was carrying out another “joint combat
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) today said that if South Korea does not reply appropriately to its request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, it would take corresponding measures to alter how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. The ministry said that it changed the nationality for South Koreans on Taiwan’s Alien Resident Certificates from “Korea” to “South Korea” on March 1, in a gesture of goodwill and based on the
RSS