Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu said Taiwan is working hard to strengthen its self-defense capability and called on the global community to monitor and deter China’s military threats.
Wu made the remarks during an interview with Rosemary Barton for a program that was broadcast Jan. 16 on the website and TV network of Canada Broadcasting Corp.
China regularly dispatches warplanes across the median line of the Taiwan Strait and warships in waters around Taiwan, in addition to conducting regular disinformation campaigns, cognitive warfare and cyberattacks, the minister said.
Beijing seeks to extend its reach beyond both the East and South China Seas, with its authoritarian expansion breaking through the first island chain and the Pacific toward the Indian Ocean, he added.
As China’s ambitions pose serious threats to regional peace and stability, Wu said Australia, Canada, Japan, the U.K. and U.S. have all voiced opposition to its attempt to unilaterally change the cross-strait status quo.
Taiwan takes lessons and inspiration from Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion, the minister said, and added that the government will continue to work in tandem with the democratic world and stand with Ukraine.
Wu said Taiwan and Canada share the same values of freedom and democracy. The government is looking forward to expanding cooperation in key areas such as education, supply chains and technology.
The government sincerely welcomed Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, the minister said, calling on the Canadian government to fast-track consultation to negotiate a foreign investment promotion and protection arrangement with Taiwan. It also called for Canadian support for its bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Wu said Taiwan meets all the high standards required by CPTPP and remains committed to working with the world to enhance global supply chain resilience and thus ensure peace, stability and prosperity in the region. (SFC-E)
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