If Taiwan continues to lose diplomatic allies and weaken the US’ geopolitical presence in the Pacific, and Central and South America, the US might cease to support the nation’s defense and international participation, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) said yesterday during a question-and-answer session with Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) at the legislature in Taipei, as the two exchanged views on Kiribati cutting its ties with Taiwan.
Taipei has stated that it wants to participate in the US’ Indo-Pacific Strategy, but has lost two diplomatic allies in the Pacific in five days, Chiang said.
This has caused a breach in the first island chain and could lead Washington to view Taipei as a “liability,” with Taiwan turning from a “chess piece” into an “abandoned son,” Chiang said.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
When the Solomon Islands switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing this week, the US Department of State recalled Washington’s ambassador to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, and reportedly reprimanded her, which was a sign of Washington’s support for Taipei, he said.
However, Taiwan’s continued loss of diplomatic allies would have a profound impact on the US’ geopolitical presence in the Pacific, which could cause Washington to get cold feet about speaking up for Taiwan at international events or selling it weapons, Chiang said.
One of US President Donald Trump’s main policies is “America first,” so the US would likely not accept frosty cross-strait relations as an excuse for Taipei continually breaking off ties with its allies, he said.
The switch occurred almost overnight, given that Kiribati was one of the nations that had signed a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calling for Taiwan to be granted UN membership and after Legislative Speaker Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) recently visited the country, Su said.
Taiwan had not said or done anything wrong, which reflected the reality of international politics, he said.
Washington’s reaction to the Solomon Islands cutting ties showed its support for Taiwan, while it also showed that it does not want China “trespassing in its backyard,” the premier said.
Asked whether China could look to establish ties with Taiwan’s allies Haiti or Tuvalu next, as local media have reported, the premier said that it was possible, as China is unlikely to stop its willful behavior.
Chiang called on the government to come up with concrete measures to buck the “diplomatic avalanche.”
Earlier in the day, KMT Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) attributed Kiribati’s decision to switch ties to President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) repeatedly “poking” Beijing by whipping up anti-China sentiment, which would help her re-election bid.
Tsai should be condemned, while Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) should resign for losing five diplomatic allies during his time in the post, Lai said.
“The nation is in a very difficult diplomatic situation, one that requires all citizens to unite against external threats. Meanwhile, we must work harder,” Su Tseng-chang said, prompting criticism from Lai, who said the premier was “reciting” excuses.
Democratic Progressive Party legislators Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) and Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政) said that China’s diplomatic bullying of Taiwan has also hurt the US and Australia, and that it would have implications.
“It is regrettable to lose a diplomatic ally, but the nation must not trade its sovereignty for a diplomatic truce,” Wang said.
China’s moves have weakened the alliance of democratic nations, which has harmed the interests of the US and Australia, and that would have implications, he said.
China’s poaching of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies has breached the integrity of the US’ and Australia’s backyard, adding that although this would place a burden on Washington, it would also consolidate ties between Taiwan and the US.
Additional reporting by Huang Hsin-po
Nipah virus infection is to be officially listed as a category 5 notifiable infectious disease in Taiwan in March, while clinical treatment guidelines are being formulated, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. With Nipah infections being reported in other countries and considering its relatively high fatality rate, the centers on Jan. 16 announced that it would be listed as a notifiable infectious disease to bolster the nation’s systematic early warning system and increase public awareness, the CDC said. Bangladesh reported four fatal cases last year in separate districts, with three linked to raw date palm sap consumption, CDC Epidemic Intelligence
The manufacture of the remaining 28 M1A2T Abrams tanks Taiwan purchased from the US has recently been completed, and they are expected to be delivered within the next one to two months, a source said yesterday. The Ministry of National Defense is arranging cargo ships to transport the tanks to Taiwan as soon as possible, said the source, who is familiar with the matter. The estimated arrival time ranges from late this month to early next month, the source said. The 28 Abrams tanks make up the third and final batch of a total of 108 tanks, valued at about NT$40.5 billion
Two Taiwanese prosecutors were questioned by Chinese security personnel at their hotel during a trip to China’s Henan Province this month, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. The officers had personal information on the prosecutors, including “when they were assigned to their posts, their work locations and job titles,” MAC Deputy Minister and spokesman Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said. On top of asking about their agencies and positions, the officers also questioned the prosecutors about the Cross-Strait Joint Crime-Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance Agreement, a pact that serves as the framework for Taiwan-China cooperation on combating crime and providing judicial assistance, Liang
Reports of Taiwanese going missing, being detained or interrogated, or having their personal liberties restricted in China increased about fourfold annually last year, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. Last year, 221 Taiwanese who traveled to China were reported missing, were detained and interrogated, or otherwise had their personal freedom restricted, up from 55 the previous year, the council said. Reopening group tours to China would be risky, as it would leave travelers with no way to seek help through official channels after Beijing shut down dialogue between the associations tasked with handling cross-strait tourism, the MAC said. Taipei’s Taiwan Strait Tourism
RSS