Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) yesterday dismissed concern that the US might use ties with Taiwan as leverage in US President Donald Trump’s trade war with China.
Wu told Bloomberg Television that he was confident the US’ support for Taiwan would not be affected by the ups and downs in relations between the US and China.
“We understand Washington DC’s support of Taiwan continues to be very strong,” Wu said in Taipei. “Taiwan is a positive element in the US economy and I just don’t worry that Taiwan is going to become a chip to be negotiated with by the US.”
Photo: Bloomberg
Wu’s remarks followed a fresh diplomatic blow to Taiwan, after the Central American nation of El Salvador cut ties with Taipei and switched its recognition to Beijing. The departure left Taiwan with just 17 formal diplomatic partners, as the Chinese Communist Party worked to further isolate President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).
The White House has said that El Salvador’s decision to cut ties with Taiwan would prompt the US to re-evaluate its relationship with the Central American nation.
Wu said he was concerned that China’s influence would continue to expand in Central America, a bastion of Taiwanese support.
“China has been expanding its influence everywhere in the world. And Central America is America’s backyard,” Wu said. “Without any force stopping it, I think China’s influence will continue to expand.”
The US has maintained informal relations with Taiwan and provides the nation with military support, despite switching relations to Beijing in 1979.
The Trump administration and the US Congress this year approved a measures to expand ties with Taiwan, including a law that would allow high-level visits by US diplomats.
“Our support from the US is stronger than ever before,” Wu said. “Our support from Japan and other like-minded countries is stronger than ever before as well.”
Wu said that the government was watching closely China’s efforts to boost ties with the Vatican, which recognizes Taipei amid a longstanding dispute with Beijing over bishop appointments.
While Wu expressed support for efforts to improve the lives of Chinese Catholics, he said Taiwan was concerned about “a continuous deterioration of the situation in China with regard to religious freedom.”
“There are more and more Catholics in China that are being persecuted,” Wu said.
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