The chief of the government's cross-strait affairs council yesterday defined the rise of China as the rise of military force, urging the people of Taiwan to enhance the country's defense capabilities so that a peaceful East Asia can be secured as a result.
Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), made the remarks when asked about a possible invasion of Taiwan's territorial waters by Chinese vessels.
Problem
"There has been a recent growing tendency among Chinese vessels to make incursions into other countries' territorial waters," said Wu, noting that such Chinese invasions are a problem not only for Taiwan but also other countries.
"These invasions should be considered as part of China's efforts to expand its power. We have to take note to its intention as the joint wargames of China and Russia further demonstrated that the rise of China is a rise of its military force," Wu said.
Given this phenomenon, Wu said that Taiwan has to double its efforts to enhance its own defense capabilities.
"Taiwan has to maintain the ability to defend itself so that the situation in East Asia can remain stable," he said.
Wu was speaking to reporters while attending the opening ceremony of a large-scale fruit fair held by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA).
According to MAC, 22 companies from eight Asian countries came to the fair to purchase Taiwanese fruit, including three buyers from China.
Other potential buyers included those from Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.
Commitment
Wu said that the exhibition demonstrates the government's commitment to facilitating fruit exports and its desire to help farmers.
The fair, held from yesterday through tomorrow in the exhibition hall of Taipei's World Trade Center, boasted 300 stalls displaying local products from around the country.
Jack Lin (林志鴻), a general manager of a company based in Shanghai, said that he plans to buy 100 tonnes of Taiwanese fruit during his stay in Taiwan.
"Taiwanese fruit is very popular in Shanghai. I came especially to order Taiwanese fruit for the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival," Lin said.
More than 300 fruit growers and processors from 21 cities and counties displayed a wide range of fresh and processed fruit.
A total of 101 one-on-one meetings will be arranged between suppliers and their potential customers, TAITRA said.
Under the promotion of the Council of Agriculture (COA) and TAITRA, fruit from Taiwan is being sold around the world and has been well received on the international market, including China, Wu said.
Wu said that the government has never placed any restrictions on the shipment of fruit from Taiwan to China and that TAITRA has been commissioned to negotiate with China on the issue of quarantine. Wu also appealed to China to launch chartered cargo flights with Taiwan for such shipments.
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