Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu said Taiwan will continue to enhance its defense capabilities to maintain the cross-strait status quo while safeguarding its freedom and democracy, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Taiwan and Ukraine are both on the frontline facing the expansion of authoritarianism, Wu said, citing Beijing’s repeated incursions into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone as heightening tensions in the region.
The government aims to participate in greater cooperation in the Indo-Pacific to prevent China from further increasing its presence in the region, the minister added.
Wu made the remarks during an exclusive interview in Taipei City with Tom Stayner for an article published May 13 by Australia-based Special Broadcasting Service News.
According to Wu, democratic like-minded countries such as Australia, Japan and the U.S. should remain attentive to China’s increasing presence in the Indo-Pacific, as its new security pact with the Solomon Islands is a threat to peace and stability in the region.
Feeling empathy for the situation in Ukraine, Taiwan is working closely with members of the free world to implement sanctions on Russia, in addition to providing donations and humanitarian assistance to those displaced by the ongoing war, the minister said.
While Taiwan is determined to defend itself, Wu said it is hoped that countries around the world will speak out on behalf of Taiwan and show support before there is any crisis or conflict.
The minister also called for expanded ties with Australia with a focus on safeguarding regional peace and stability to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.
In the lead up to the 75th World Health Assembly—the decision-making body of the World Health Organization—later this month, Wu said it is not fair to exclude Taiwan from the U.N. special agency. As a shining example of democracy, Taiwan should be entitled to participate in the WHO just as any other country does, he added.
In a tweet on its official Twitter account, the MOFA said “Minister Wu’s interview with @StaynerThomas of @SBSNews is a must for those unnerved by #China’s expanding authoritarianism in the #IndoPacific. It also has lots of meat on the bone about #Taiwan-#Australia ties & scope for even greater cooperation between the democracies.” (SFC-E)
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