Sat, Sep 21, 2019 page3

• Loss of ally imperils US support: KMT

  ‘DIPLOMATIC AVALANCHE’: Washington could view Taipei as a ‘liability,’ with Taiwan turning from a ‘chess piece’ to an ‘abandoned son,’ KMT Legislator Johnny Chiang said

  • By Sean Lin / Staff reporter
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  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.

  

  Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Johnny Chiang speaks during a question-and-answer session at the legislature in Taipei yesterday.

  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
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