Afghanistan’s return to Taliban rule following the withdrawal of US forces shows that Taiwan needs to be “stronger and more united” in ensuring its own defense, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday.
The sudden departure of US troops from Kabul has sparked discussion in Taiwan as to whether Washington can be relied upon to come to Taipei’s defense.
“Recent changes in the situation in Afghanistan have led to much discussion in Taiwan,” Tsai wrote on Facebook. “I want to tell everyone that Taiwan’s only option is to make ourselves stronger, more united and more resolute in our determination to protect ourselves.”
Photo: Reuters
She said that Taiwan should practice self-reliance.
“It’s not an option for us to do nothing ... and just to rely on other people’s protection,” she wrote.
She added that Taipei cannot rely on “momentary goodwill or charity from those who will not renounce the use of force against Taiwan,” an apparent reference to Beijing.
Beijing’s state media have reveled in the US pullout from Afghanistan, publishing a series of editorials predicting that Washington would not come to Taiwan’s aid in its hour of need.
Analysts have said that Afghanistan and Taiwan are not comparable.
Taiwan “is a core interest for the US in that it is a well-functioning
democracy, loyal ally, [with] a capable military and directly standing up to America’s most important competitor,” said Robert Kelly, an international relations expert at Pusan National University in Busan, South Korea.
“Afghanistan was on the fringe of US interests. A better analogue ... is Israel,” Kelly wrote on Twitter.
Separately, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday thanked Washington for reiterating its commitment to Taiwan and other allies.
The administration of US President Joe Biden has repeatedly expressed its “rock solid” commitment to Taiwan and supported the sentiment with practical action, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said.
Taiwan would resolutely continue to improve its self-defense capabilities to safeguard the lives and property of Taiwanese, as well as their free and democratic way of life, Ou said.
Cooperation between Taiwan, the US and other nations would ensure stability in the Taiwan Strait, she said, adding that Taiwan would continue contributing to lasting peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
The ministry made the comments after US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Tuesday reaffirmed Washington’s “sacrosanct” commitments to its allies, including Taiwan, pushing back at concerns about its resolve after its departure from Afghanistan.
“We believe that our commitments to our allies and partners are sacrosanct and always have been,” Sullivan told a news conference in Washington.
“We believe our commitment to Taiwan and to Israel remains as strong as it’s ever been,” he added.
When asked how Washington is countering questions about its resolve from Beijing and Moscow, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said: “We, of course, are in touch with the Chinese and the Russians.”
“Our message is very clear: We stand by partners around the world who are subject to this kind of propaganda that Russia and China are projecting, and we’re going to continue to deliver on those words with actions,” Psaki said.
Max Baucus, a former US ambassador to Beijing, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television that Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) might be emboldened to test the US over Taiwan.
“The development in Afghanistan is going to cause Xi Jinping to probe a little bit,” Baucus said. “He’s going to test to see the degree to which we are going to stand up for Taiwan.”
Xi will “look for openings,” he said. “He’ll probe here, probe there. That’s their history.”
PROTECTION: The New Taipei City mayor said a pass could cover stores, but not eateries, while Ko Wen-je said vaccinated people could be exempted from some rules Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) and New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) on Saturday proposed implementing a “COVID-19 pass” regulation that would allow only vaccinated people into certain areas. New Taipei City is planning to require a “COVID-19 pass” for entry to “vulnerable spaces” to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Hou said. Non-students entering elementary schools in New Taipei City are required to show their COVID-19 vaccination cards or proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test. This is for the protection of students under the age of 12, who are not eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, city officials have said. The
PAPERS, PLEASE: A digital certificate or a printout would return one of three results: green for ‘pass,’ red for ‘not passed’ or yellow for ‘to be determined,’ the CECC said Starting today, people can download a Digital COVID-19 Certificate, with the government now requiring people at night clubs, karaoke bars and other businesses in “eight major special establishment categories” to be fully vaccinated and present a vaccination certificate. The eight categories include dance venues, massage parlors, hostess bars and saunas. Customers and service personnel at the venues have a higher risk of contracting COVID-19, as they can neither avoid contact with people nor strictly observe distancing guidelines, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said. As such, both groups are required to be fully vaccinated, meaning that they must have had at least a
LAWMAKERS RALLY: Beijing’s unlegislated actions breach international and WTO trade rules, and affect the basic principles of the EU single market, the letter said A group of 41 EU lawmakers on Tuesday condemned China for its political and economic coercion of Lithuania, and called on leaders of the bloc to demonstrate solidarity with Vilnius. The letter was initiated by Slovakian Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Miriam Lexmann, who is cochair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China. “We, the undersigned members of the European Parliament, resolutely condemn political and economic coercion of the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) against Lithuania,” the letter said. The letter addressed European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and
‘GOOD FRIEND’: The Slovenian prime minister said he had visited Taiwan four or five times, and that Taiwanese should have the right to determine their future The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday welcomed Slovenia’s plan to establish a representative office in Taiwan, after Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa revealed the plan in an interview with Indian TV station Doordarshan on Monday. Taiwan is a democratic country that respects international democratic standards and international laws, the Slovenian prime minister said in the interview. Slovenia and Taiwan are working on “exchanging representatives,” he said. “Of course, this will not be on the level of embassies. It will be on the same level as many of the EU member countries.” “When I spoke with our businessmen who are trading with Taiwan, they
RSS