Vice Foreign Minister Alexander Tah-ray Yui said Taiwan is committed to enhancing national self-defense capabilities while calling on democracies to work together to counter China’s authoritarian expansion.
Yui made the remarks during a virtual interview with Laureano lzquierdo for an article published March 22 on Infobae, one of the most widely read online newspapers in Spanish.
According to Yui, the number of Taiwan’s like-minded partners is growing despite China’s attempts to isolate the country by enticing its diplomatic allies to switch recognition to Beijing. This is evidenced by the upcoming visit of Marketa Pekarova Adamova, speaker of the Czech Republic’s Chamber of Deputies, and recent delegations to Taiwan from Germany, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Paraguay, Romania and the U.K., he added.
Taiwan is a front-line state in the fight against totalitarianism, Yui said, adding that the country is determined to defend its sovereignty by enacting military reforms and learning lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war.
The vice minister said the U.S. has reaffirmed its support for Taiwan and provided defensive weapons in line with the Taiwan Relations Act. Japan and South Korea have also reiterated the importance of cross-strait peace and stability at international events, he added.
With support from members of the international community, the government of Taiwan will spare no effort to avoid war, Yui said, urging more global friends to deter China from employing force against any nation.
As one of the world’s major centers of advanced chip production, Taiwan plays a critical role in global supply chains, Yui said. An armed conflict would endanger provision and severely impact the world’s economy, he added.
Taiwan is an important partner of Latin American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico, Yui said, adding that the government welcomes deeper ties with the region. (YCH-E)
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