Denmark has consistently defended Greenland in light of US President Donald Trump’s interests and has provided unwavering support to Ukraine during its war with Russia. Denmark can be proud of its clear support for peoples’ democratic right to determine their own future. However, this democratic ideal completely falls apart when it comes to Taiwan — and it raises important questions about Denmark’s commitment to supporting democracies.
Taiwan lives under daily military threats from China, which seeks to take over Taiwan, by force if necessary — an annexation that only a very small minority in Taiwan supports.
Denmark has given China a significant anniversary gift: It has decided that Taiwanese are Chinese and should therefore list “China” as their nationality on residency permits.
The decision was cemented at a parliamentary consultation on May 6 and marks a significant change, as Taiwanese nationality had been listed as “Taiwan” since 1978.
In other words, Denmark now considers Taiwan to be part of China, implying that 23 million Taiwanese should be subject to an authoritarian regime that threatens not only Taiwan, but also the surrounding South China Sea region.
Taiwan is a well-functioning democracy with press freedom surpassing that of several EU countries, and it is not just in terms of values that Taiwan is an ally. The EU has, in realpolitik terms, recognized that Taiwan’s technologies and related supply chains are critical and has increased cooperation with the nation over the years.
Taiwan is one of the world’s 25 largest industrial nations. Even Trump maintains close engagement with Taiwan, as have other US presidents.
We live in a time when democracies are under pressure, and this decision touches on fundamental democratic principles. The registration change is a decision made by Denmark’s government, not a technical update, as it wants the rest of us to believe.
That was made clear at the parliamentary consultation, with Danish Minister for Immigration and Integration Kaare Dybvad repeatedly saying that Denmark’s “one China” policy is the reason that Taiwanese in Denmark must list “China” as their nationality on their residency cards, based on advice from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Now we arrive at a very central point: China is trying to influence countries to adopt its “one China” principle, which claims that Taiwan is part of China. That fundamentally differs from Denmark’s previously pragmatic “one China” policy and the EU’s “one China” policy, which explicitly does not take a position on Taiwan’s status in relation to China. In other words, Denmark has never before misused its “one China” policy to conclude that Taiwan belongs to China, but is now leaning toward Beijing’s position.
There are many conflicts around the world. China’s military posture toward Taiwan is increasingly viewed with concern, and any potential conflict would have economic and technological consequences for the world, including Denmark. Other EU countries have found solutions, but Denmark is choosing to take an indecent position among democracies.
Michael Danielsen is chairman of Taiwan Corner.
An elderly mother and her daughter were found dead in Kaohsiung after having not been seen for several days, discovered only when a foul odor began to spread and drew neighbors’ attention. There have been many similar cases, but it is particularly troubling that some of the victims were excluded from the social welfare safety net because they did not meet eligibility criteria. According to media reports, the middle-aged daughter had sought help from the local borough warden. Although the warden did step in, many services were unavailable without out-of-pocket payments due to issues with eligibility, leaving the warden’s hands
When former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) first took office in 2016, she set ambitious goals for remaking the energy mix in Taiwan. At the core of this effort was a significant expansion of the percentage of renewable energy generated to keep pace with growing domestic and global demands to reduce emissions. This effort met with broad bipartisan support as all three major parties placed expanding renewable energy at the center of their energy platforms. However, over the past several years partisanship has become a major headwind in realizing a set of energy goals that all three parties profess to want. Tsai
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday announced that she would dissolve parliament on Friday. Although the snap election on Feb. 8 might appear to be a domestic affair, it would have real implications for Taiwan and regional security. Whether the Takaichi-led coalition can advance a stronger security policy lies in not just gaining enough seats in parliament to pass legislation, but also in a public mandate to push forward reforms to upgrade the Japanese military. As one of Taiwan’s closest neighbors, a boost in Japan’s defense capabilities would serve as a strong deterrent to China in acting unilaterally in the
Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Randhir Jaiswal told a news conference on Jan. 9, in response to China’s latest round of live-fire exercises in the Taiwan Strait: “India has an abiding interest in peace and stability in the region, in view of our trade, economic, people-to-people and maritime interests. We urge all parties to exercise restraint, avoid unilateral actions and resolve issues peacefully without threat or use of force.” The statement set a firm tone at the beginning of the year for India-Taiwan relations, and reflects New Delhi’s recognition of shared interests and the strategic importance of regional stability. While India
RSS