President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) interview with the BBC last month contained messages that could provoke China, and since Taiwan is the weaker of the two nations, she should refrain from such provocations, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Wu Sz-huai (吳斯懷) said yesterday.
“President Tsai should be discreet over the prospect of war, not recklessly court war or provoke,” Wu said, when asked about a question he planned to ask Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) when the legislative session opens today.
Taiwan Statebuilding Party Legislator Chen Po-wei (陳柏惟) on Wednesday posted on Facebook a picture of a document containing Wu’s question for Tsai.
Photo: CNA
The document quotes Tsai as saying in the interview that despite her refraining from projecting symbols of Taiwanese independence, Beijing has increased its military pressure on Taiwan, and that as the nation cannot exclude the possibility of war, it has worked to improve its military capabilities.
It also quotes Tsai as saying that invading Taiwan would be “very costly” for China.
In the prepared remarks, Wu, a retired lieutenant general, says Tsai’s comments bordered on warmongering and asks whether the cost of going to war with China would be “very cheap” for Taiwan.
“Is Taiwan really ready?” he asks.
Chen expressed amazement at Wu’s planned question.
Wu should first ask China whether it has renounced annexing Taiwan by force, Chen said.
Wu had attended an event in Beijing, where he listened to a speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), he said.
Wu appears eager to be a “mouthpiece” and “minion” for China, as he portrayed Tsai’s ordinary remarks as provoking China, and could be colluding with Beijing to smear the government, stoke fear and degrade Taiwan’s sovereignty, he added.
Asked whether he believed that Tsai’s stance that the nation would not be intimidated by Chinese provocation was wrong, Wu yesterday said that he does not.
“However, Taiwan should not proactively tell China that: ‘I am ready for war, bring it on.’ That was the wrong tone to take,” he said. “After all, we are weaker.”
Asked whether he believed Taiwan should “appear weak” in the event of a Chinese provocation, Wu said: “No, no, no.”
“Of course we should make the necessary response to a Chinese provocation, but that does not mean recklessly starting a war,” he said.
Pressed on what response he believed would be appropriate, Wu said one that adheres to military protocols would be sufficient.
Asked about Wu’s comments while visiting the National Health Research Institutes, Tsai told reporters that everything she has said reflected the real situation and the nation’s resolve to defend itself.
“Taiwan’s basic stance is clear: We resist war, but are by no means weak. We do not provoke, but we do not bow or bend our knees,” she said.
As a former general, Wu’s remarks have likely disappointed many military personnel, Tsai said, urging the KMT to clarify whether it agrees with Wu’s stance.
Additional reporting by Cheng Ming-hsiang
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