President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday urged European nations to support liberal, democratic Taiwan at a time when a rising China is affecting the global landscape.
In a recorded speech at a seminar held at the European Parliament in Brussels, Tsai said China is undermining the “status quo” across the Taiwan Strait and its rapid rise is changing the global order in place since the end of World War II.
At the opening of the Taiwan-sponsored seminar titled “China Factor: Resistance is Futile? — Taiwan as a Case Study,” Tsai said in a video that Taiwan is aware of the challenges posed by China and that its actions have “not served to drive Taiwan to Beijing, but encouraged us to look at where our friends and partners are, in countries that share our values and interests.”
Photo: CNA
Since 2016, China has stepped up its pressure on democratic Taiwan and tried hard to squeeze its economy and international space, Tsai said.
China has been working to destabilize Taiwan and undermine Taiwanese trust in the nation’s democratic institutions, she said.
However, China’s actions have only strengthened Taiwan’s resolve that freedom and democracy, not fear, would continue to determine the future of the nation’s 23 million people, she said.
“At this critical juncture in human history, Taiwan understands, better than any country in the world, how important it is that those values survive,” Tsai said. “As a small democracy trying to engage with the world’s most powerful non-democratic country, Taiwan is resilient and determined to safeguard our precious democracy.”
However, these challenges are not for Taiwan alone and the nation is seeking support from friends and partners that share the same values, she said.
“We do need your support. A liberal democratic order can only survive if like-minded countries, including our European partners, work together for the greater good,” she said. “I’m calling on all like-minded countries to display the same spirit that led to the founding of a union across Europe in 1951: the clear-eyed sense that only by coming together can we protect our values and our future,” she said.
The speech, which lasted about 4 minutes, 30 seconds, received plenty of applause from the audience at the seminar, which was hosted by the European Federation of Taiwanese Associations.
In response to Tsai’s speech, Ivan Stefanec, a Slovak member of the European Parliament, said the EU and Taiwan have forged close ties and that the union should pay more attention to democratic development in Taiwan and Asia.
He called for more exchanges between Taiwan and the EU in economics, education and culture.
Stefanec, who has visited Taiwan several times and is familiar with cross-strait relations, said China’s rise is a very important issue not only in global economics, but also in international politics, so the EU needs to keep an eye on the latest developments.
ANTI-SHIP CONFIGURATION: The Tuo Chiang-class vessels are to be built for NT$9.7 billion by Lung Teh, a shipyard that previously built four similar corvettes for the navy The Ministry of National Defense on Wednesday awarded Lung Teh Shipbuilding (龍德造船) a NT$9.7 billion Co (US$317.57 million) contract to build five Tuo Chiang-class corvettes with anti-ship capabilities, a defense official familiar with the matter said yesterday. The corvettes would carry vertical launchers for four Hsiung Feng II (HF-2) missiles, as well as eight Hsiung Feng III (HF-3) anti-ship missiles, in contrast to ships configured for anti-air warfare, which carry eight HF-2 and four HF-3 missiles, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The anti-ship corvettes would be armed for improved standoff range against surface combatants and carry the latest
‘COINCIDENCE’: The former president should keep in mind local and global response to his actions and abide by the law to safeguard national interests, the MAC said The Presidential Office yesterday confirmed that it has received an application from former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to visit China next week and would be discussing his security detail. “As the travel restrictions on former president Ma have expired, we respect his plan to pay respect to his ancestors in China,” Presidential Office spokeswoman Lin Yu-chan (林聿禪) said. “We will review his travel plan and consult concerned agencies to assist him in arranging his security detail.” “We also hope that Ma, as a former commander in chief of Taiwan, acts in a manner that aligns with national interests and does not hurt
‘NOTHING NEW’: China should not use Tsai Ing-wen’s transits through the US as a pretext to step up aggressive activity in the Taiwan Strait, a Washington official said President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is to stop over in the US on her way to and from Central America next week, but her administration would not confirm a meeting with US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Tsai’s delegation is to leave Taipei on Wednesday next week and stop over in New York City, Presidential Office spokeswoman Lin Yu-chan (林聿禪) told a news conference yesterday. Tsai is then to head to Guatemala on Saturday next week for talks with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei and to meet with Taiwanese expatriates, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. On April 3, Tsai is scheduled to travel
Taiwan is to obtain maintenance parts for its AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, after the Republic of China Defense Mission to the US and the American Institute in Taiwan signed a NT$1.44 billion (US$47.1 million) deal that is to be in effect until Sept. 15, 2028. Taiwan operates 29 Apaches. The US is concerned that if China were to blockade Taiwan, it would be impossible to supply the nation with military equipment, natural gas, coal and other items, a military source said on condition of anonymity. The deal seeks to ensure stable supply of maintenance parts for the Apaches to keep them operational