Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Roy Lee (李淳) yesterday urged democratic nations around the world to not let Beijing dictate the definition of their “one China” policies, saying that they should increase cooperation with Taiwan to build a resilient democratic network.
Lee made the remarks during his speech, titled “Ukraine and Taiwan: Why Global Unity Matters,” at the annual Bratislava Forum in Slovakia.
“People in Taiwan have been paying close attention to the situation in Ukraine and admire Ukrainians for defending their homeland. They are [also] fighting for Taiwan and democratic countries around the world,” Lee told forum participants.
2023 Bratislava Forum on Tuesday. Photo: CNA
“The international community is increasingly aware that Taiwan is facing tremendous geopolitical risks. As such, world leaders attending the G7 summit in Hiroshima delivered a joint statement opposing any unilateral move to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait,” he said.
“The more united the members of the democratic camp are, the more it would help deter China from advancing with force,” he added.
Many people think that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is the result of indifference and appeasement that the international community has shown over the years, Lee said.
“The world should learn this lesson: The only way to deter the Chinese Communist Party [CCP] regime from invading Taiwan is for the international community to be united and show resolve,” he said.
“Taiwan completely understands that it is our mission to defend our democratic way of life, and we are demonstrating our will, capability and resolve by actively preparing for a war,” he added.
China cannot affect the political and economic situation in Taiwan, despite blocking Taiwan from participating in UN organizations, intensifying cognitive warfare against the nation and interfering in its elections, Lee said.
“Like-minded democratic countries must not let Beijing decide what their ‘one China’ policy should be. We urge you to increase cooperation with Taiwan to build a strong and global network of democratic resilience,” he said.
Separately, Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) said that Beijing needs to state clearly that it would allow Chinese tourists — individual and group tour travelers — to visit Taiwan before the government would consider lifting a travel ban on group tours to China.
China made formal announcements when it banned individuals from traveling to Taiwan in 2019 and when it banned groups tours in 2020, Wang said.
“If they think such restrictions do not exist, they should say it out loud. We were hoping that the matter could be negotiated through semi-official associations representing Taiwan and China, but China has yet to appoint a director for its association,” Wang said.
“However, we would know that it is definitely lifting the travel ban to Taiwan if the policy change was clearly announced by Beijing’s spokespeople,” he said.
“Only the person who fastens the bell on the tiger’s neck can untie it. It would be strange if we welcomed Chinese tourists, but China refused to allow tourists to visit Taiwan,” Wang said.
If Taiwan lifts the ban on group tours to China unilaterally, there would be an imbalance of tourism benefits between Taiwan and China, which is unfair to Taiwanese tourism operators, Wang said, adding that the matter should proceed in a fair and equal manner.
Regarding China’s plan to use its self-developed Comac C919 to transport passengers in cross-strait flights, Wang said that the Civil Aeronautics Administration would ensure that the narrow-body airliner is airworthy.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old