Taiwan yesterday announced that it would join the US and other countries in imposing sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, but did not immediately provide details.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the nation would join international economic sanctions to compel Moscow to halt its military aggression against Ukraine and to restart peaceful dialogue among all parties concerned as soon as possible.
The government strongly condemns Russia’s decision to start a war in contravention of the UN Charter by invading Ukraine and occupying Ukrainian territory by force, the ministry said in a statement.
Photo: Hung Jui-chin, Taipei Times
“This action has jeopardized regional and global peace and stability,” the ministry said. “It also poses the most serious threat and challenge to the rules-based international order and system of international laws that maintain and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.”
As a member of the global democratic alliance, Taiwan “staunchly defends the core universal values of freedom, democracy, the rule of law and human rights,” the ministry said.
Taiwan would continue to coordinate closely with the US and other like-minded countries to adopt appropriate measures to free Ukraine from the horrors of war, and quickly restore peace and stability to the region and the world, it said.
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said Taiwan would join international sanctions because “Russia undermined regional peace by invading Ukraine, which has drawn condemnation from around the world.”
Taiwan strongly condemns Russia’s aggression, Su told reporters at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei.
“We will impose sanctions [on Russia] following other democratic countries,” Su said.
Foreign media reported earlier this week that the government was considering restricting exports of strategic goods to Russia.
Su’s announcement came a day after the Kremlin launched an invasion in Ukraine by land, sea and air in what Russian President Vladimir Putin said was a “special military operation” to achieve the “demilitarization and de-Nazification of Ukraine.”
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) played down concerns that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could trigger a similar crisis in Asia, and warned against any efforts to use the situation in Europe to sow panic in Taiwan.
Tsai said Putin damaged global stability and breached Ukraine’s sovereignty.
“I want to stress that the situation in Ukraine and in the Taiwan Strait are fundamentally different, not only because of the natural barrier of the Taiwan Strait, but also Taiwan’s geopolitical and strategic status,” she said in a speech in Tainan yesterday morning.
She also warned the public to be wary of any “external forces” using misinformation about Ukraine to cause panic about a possible threat to Taiwan.
Tsai characterized an offer by Beijing to evacuate Taiwanese from Ukraine as “cognitive warfare.”
The ministry said the offer was a “disgusting” attempt by Beijing to use the crisis in Ukraine for political propaganda in an effort to discredit Taipei.
The ministry said it has records of 33 Taiwanese in Ukraine.
Earlier yesterday, Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花) said: “Taiwan will review exports to Russia strictly based on the Wassenaar Arrangement.”
“We will talk to allies about other sanctions,” she added.
Separately, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) yesterday said it is fully committed to complying with new export control rules.
“TSMC complies with all applicable laws and regulations and is fully committed to complying with the new export control rules announced,” it said in a statement. “The company also has a rigorous export control system in place, including a robust assessment and review process to ensure export control restrictions are followed.”
Additional reporting by Reuters
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
AMENDMENT: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of high-temperature days, affecting economic productivity and public health, experts said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is considering amending the Meteorological Act (氣象法) to classify “high temperatures” as “hazardous weather,” providing a legal basis for work or school closures due to extreme heat. CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣) yesterday said the agency plans to submit the proposed amendments to the Executive Yuan for review in the fourth quarter this year. The CWA has been monitoring high-temperature trends for an extended period, and the agency contributes scientific data to the recently established High Temperature Response Alliance led by the Ministry of Environment, Lu said. The data include temperature, humidity, radiation intensity and ambient wind,
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist