Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) yesterday condemned China’s “wolf warrior” diplomacy at this week’s Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders’ Meeting in Palau, saying it could undermine unity in the Pacific.
This year’s meeting was overshadowed by China’s objections to the presence of Taiwan at the summit, saying Taipei was not qualified to attend and that its presence would have “consequences,” said Lin, who had just returned from the meeting in Palau.
Summit host Palau is one of three Pacific island countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
Photo: Taipei Times
Speaking to reporters in Taipei yesterday, Lin said that the forum comprises 18 Pacific member countries, which form its decisionmaking core.
China, dialogue partners, and Taiwan as a development partner, were all invited guests seeking to promote development in the Pacific, he said, adding that the “Pacific way” is about openness and inclusiveness.
China’s remarks at the summit were not welcome, he said.
“This kind of Chinese ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy could easily undermine unity in the Pacific, and is offensive and detestable,” he said.
The expression “wolf warrior” diplomacy takes its name from a popular Chinese movie franchise and refers to strong remarks by Chinese officials in public, marking a departure from the restraint generally seen previously.
China did not respect the host’s wishes and tried to make itself the host, Lin said.
“This kind of threatening language and behavior — claiming there will be ‘serious consequences,’ even going so far as to declare Palau an ‘unsafe travel destination’ — is extremely absurd and ironic,” he said, referring to a travel warning China issued about Palau last month.
China’s threat goes beyond verbal intimidation, Lin added.
Beijing has already taken action, including an unannounced test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile in the Pacific in July, which has raised concern among nations in the region, he said.
The PIF leaders’ summit subsequently adopted a resolution condemning the missile launch and its impact on peace and unity in the Pacific, Lin said.
The Chinese Communist Party’s zero-sum, “either you or me” approach is not suited to the Pacific region, he added.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Asked whether he met with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on the sidelines of the PIF summit, Lin said it was only natural for attendees to greet and interact with one another at the venue.
The Hualien District Prosecutors’ Office yesterday launched an investigation following allegations by a former foreign correspondent in Taiwan of widespread vote-buying in Hualien County. In an interview with Formosa TV (FTV, 民視) aired on Saturday, former Financial Times Taiwan correspondent Kathrin Hille spoke about Taiwan’s democracy and said that she now lives in rural Hualien, where “all the votes are bought.” Neighbors would talk about who had come by and leave cash on the table showing “how much each vote was worth that year,” Hille said. The practice needs to be addressed, considering Taiwan has been a democracy for many
SAFETY RISKS: A Taiwanese man who was traveling to Shanghai for business was allegedly questioned for six hours due to his past work for Amnesty International The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) urged Taiwanese to exercise caution when considering trips to China after a Taiwanese man was allegedly questioned for six hours in Shanghai over past work with Amnesty International. The council on Saturday said in a report that 426 Taiwanese have gone missing or been detained or had their freedom of movement restricted in China since Jan. 1, 2024. The figure is up by seven from the previous week. New Chinese entry and exit regulations are due to take effect on Sept. 15, the council said. Of the 426 cases, 160 people have gone missing, up
Palau’s president yesterday called for a “unified” Pacific response to a missile test by China in July, while Taiwan and its Pacific allies a day earlier at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) reaffirmed their commitment to peace, stability and prosperity. China gave only a handful of nations short notice before test-firing an intercontinental ballistic missile in July, sparking condemnation from several Pacific leaders. The 18-member PIF being held in Palau was expected to release a communique after press time last night, with a formal response to the test possibly included. Palau, which invited Taiwan to attend sideline events as an aid partner, urged
DEFENSE PROCUREMENT: The Pentagon has told a US congressional hearing that Taiwan has ‘top priority worldwide’ in the delivery of Harpoon missile systems The US Navy and Boeing Co have conducted a series of tests for land-based Harpoon anti-ship missile system being supplied to Taiwan and released footage showing the system striking a target vessel at sea. The weapons system and support equipment tested were reportedly tailored for Taiwan, while the first launch vehicles and other components have already begun arriving in Taiwan, with the full delivery of 100 systems scheduled to be completed by the end of 2028. Pentagon officials have previously told a US congressional hearing that Taiwan has “top priority worldwide” in the delivery of Harpoon missile systems, with production
RSS