2023-10-05 01:38:00
Joseph Wu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan (REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins)
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Taiwan feels increasingly threatened by China, Moscow’s ally, because that is the policy that “authoritarian countries apply when they consider it consistent with their interests,” the minister told the EFE agency this Wednesday. Taiwanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joseph Wu.
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“China is increasing its military threat against Taiwan, coming from its Air Force or its Navy, and also in the form of hybrid warfare, with disinformation campaigns, cyber attacks and cognitive warfare directed at Taiwanese society,” as well as the attempt to “Manipulation of the political system,” said Wu, who stressed that his country “is most threatened since February 24 last year,” the date of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Wu said that “once we saw the Russians launch an unprovoked attack on Ukraine, we realized that an authoritarian country can do similar things whenever it wants, if it sees it fits its interests.”
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In this sense, he stressed that “if we look at Chinese military preparations”, it can be said that “the threat seems to be increasing.”
Wu, who maintained that his country tries to present itself to the international community as a “responsible and moderate” actor in its policies, pointed out that, in the face of – in his opinion – growing Chinese threat, it is necessary to reinforce its actions in defense matters, to which different measures have been taken, such as increasing investment in that field or extending the period of mandatory military service from four months to one year.
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Likewise, he commented that a notable effort is being made in the field of asymmetric warfare, “especially after observing the Ukrainian experience of being able to keep the Russian army at bay.”
Taiwan increased defense spending to confront the Chinese threat (AP Photo/Daniel Ceng)
“We want to work more with partners similar to us; with the EU, with the main European countries, with the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan, etc., so that China knows that if it unleashes a war against Taiwan, they will not only fight against us, but against the rest of the world, especially the democracies ”said the Taiwanese minister.
The head of Taiwanese diplomacy also highlighted the relevant role that the AUKUS defensive alliance – made up of Washington, Canberra and London – has as a deterrent and potential defensive shield for his country and in the Indo-Pacific region in the event of hypothetical aggression.
In Wu’s opinion, China’s intention lies not only in threatening or eventually attacking Taiwan, but its approaches have a much broader perspective that involves gaining a foothold in various strategic places in the Indo-Pacific.
In this sense, he commented that “every time Australia carries out military exercises, especially naval ones, China always sends spy ships that get very close to collect information and that becomes a threat,” the minister indicated.
He pointed out that last April China signed a security agreement with the Solomon Islands, from which it is geographically very far away, but which “are right at Australia’s doorstep.”
Wu also analyzed the peculiar situation in the field of international relations in which Taiwan finds itself, which is not a member of the UN and maintains diplomatic relations with only 14 states but is an important financial, commercial and military partner of many more, especially among liberal democracies, and alluded to the possible loss of specific weight that it has suffered, especially in some Latin American countries, which in recent times seem to be leaning towards China.
Joseph Wu warned that China’s objective is not only to attack Taiwan, but also to gain a foothold in various strategic places in the Indo-Pacific (REUTERS/Alet Pretorius)
“We have lost some of our diplomatic allies because China was able to use financial resources or make promises to some countries so that they thought they would obtain more benefits by recognizing it. But after all these years, we have old friends returning to Taiwan and telling us that China is not keeping its promises,” Wu said.
“China makes empty promises and then also engages in corrupt practices, such as benefiting corrupt politicians,” said the head of Taiwanese diplomacy.
Likewise, Wu referred to the issue of semiconductors, of which Taiwan is the world’s leading producer, and the fierce competition it maintains with China to maintain that hegemony.
“Taiwan is a basic pillar of the semiconductor industry and, therefore, if China launches a war against Taiwan, it would impact the rest of the world, not only for the products, but also for the supply chain. “I think the world is gradually understanding the kind of consequences it would suffer if China went to war against Taiwan,” he said.
(With information from EFE)
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