By: Taiwan Today
Taiwan Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaushieh Joseph Wu said that Taiwan wants to contribute to international society and expand cooperation and friendship with other democratic nations.
Wu made the remarks during an interview with Charlie Campbell, correspondent at Time Magazine, for an article published Dec. 6 on the media’s website.
According to Wu, while China has courted Taiwan’s allies and suppressed the country’s international space, Taiwan has improved its relations with countries such as Australia, Canada, France, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States through economic relationships and shared universal values. The country has also strengthened ties with former communist bloc countries in central and eastern Europe.
The minister cited the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade signed in June this year as evidence of growing international trade ties, saying it was the first trade agreement inked since the severing of formal diplomatic ties between the two sides in 1979.
In addition, Taiwan and Canada have also concluded negotiations on a foreign investment protection agreement and the U.K. has recently announced an Enhanced Trade Partnership, the minister said.
With regard to the Russia-Ukraine war, Wu said it reinforced the importance of determination to defend territory, as well as the vital nature of both asymmetric warfare and support from the international community.
Taiwan has actively implemented military reform and training as well as developing indigenous weapons and procuring arms from the U.S. to deter conflict. Wu concluded by saying that despite China’s domestic woes, it was felt unlikely it would initiate an exterior crisis as a catalyst to domestic unity. (POC-E)
