Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) called on democracies around the world to defend Taiwan by defending Ukraine, which he said would help deter Beijing’s military adventurism.
“By helping Ukraine, democracies can increase their relative strength against the Chinese-Russian coalition,” Wu said in an article published in Foreign Affairs on Thursday.
Wu warned of the threat posed by China and Russia’s so-called “no-limits partnership,” adding that the two powers cannot be expected to take on the responsibility of maintaining a rules-based international order.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
China maintained a relatively neutral stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at first, but began providing lethal weapons to Russia last year, demonstrating its “strong interest not just in propping up Russia but in reshaping the geopolitical landscape in Europe,” he said.
“With China and Russia in such close alignment, it is all the more imperative for democracies to act in coordination,” including continuing the assistance provided to Ukraine, Wu said.
The aid package to provide US$95 billion in funding for military assistance to Taiwan, Ukraine and Israel signed into law by US President Joe Biden last month is a welcome action in the effort and can serve as “a key deterrent against adventurism on Beijing’s part,” he said.
Taiwanese security is crucial to the global economy and regional stability, Wu said, adding that if China were to gain control of Taiwan, the world would face colossal economic losses and supply chain disruptions as well as the harms brought by China’s authoritarian expansionism.
“Preserving the status quo in the strait is vital to maintaining the US alliance system, the regional balance of power, and nuclear nonproliferation,” which have helped maintain a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, Wu said.
Taiwan has made a whole-of-nation effort to strengthen its self-defense capabilities before soliciting support from the world, he said.
“[O]ur determination to defend ourselves will grow only stronger under our new president, William Lai (賴清德),” he added.
Wu is to lead the National Security Council in Lai’s incoming administration.
Wu called on democracies worldwide to “address more assertively” three areas with the global implications of the cross-strait situation in mind.
Like-minded countries should warn China of the consequences of its gray-zone coercion such as disinformation campaigns, election interferences and military provocations, he said.
Wu encouraged international friends to boost economic integration with Taiwan, adding that it would help them to strengthen their national supply chain resilience.
Wu also called on like-minded countries to reject China’s distortion of UN Resolution 2758 to lay claim to Taiwan.
The resolution was adopted in 1971 to solve the issue of China’s representation in the UN, and eventually led to China taking Taiwan’s place in the international organization.
The resolution recognized the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.”
Taiwan and the US have repeatedly said that the resolution does not mention Taiwan, nor say that “Taiwan is part of the PRC=” and does not explicitly authorize Beijing to represent Taiwan at the UN.
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