Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and their leaders have played an important role in expanding Taiwan’s international standing as Beijing stepped up its suppression on the global stage, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Chung-kwang (田中光) said at a forum in Taipei yesterday.
As China ramps up its “rhetorical and military threats against Taiwan” and “maliciously restricts Taiwan’s international space,” NGOs and other partners have been “valuable resources and key assets for Taiwan’s diplomatic efforts,” Tien said at the opening of the NGO Leaders Forum hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
China has not only sought to exclude Taiwan from participating in the UN system and other international organizations, it has also attempted to downgrade the status and rights of Taiwan’s civil society groups engaging in global affairs, Tien said.
However, “China’s bullying” has only yielded strong international support for Taiwan, he said.
“Heavy-handed ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy only serves to highlight the virtuous and positive values of Taiwan,” he added.
By hosting the forum for the second consecutive year, the ministry is looking forward to seeing more cooperation and exchanges between local and foreign NGOs in various areas, such as human rights, gender equality, freedom of the press and religious freedom, Tien said.
“We hope to continue to build partnerships with NGOs so that Taiwan’s soft power can be even more visible to the international community,” he said.
In a prerecorded video, International Federation of Women in Legal Careers vice president Denise Scotto praised female leaders in Taiwanese NGOs for their contributions to promoting gender equality in the nation.
Without specifying any groups, Scotto added that these leaders had served as “role models for so many NGO representatives around the world,” as well as “ambassadors” of Taiwan’s vibrant democracy.
US National Endowment for Democracy president and chief executive Damon Wilson described Taiwan as increasingly becoming a hub for democrats in the Asia-Pacific region, where freedom is facing great pressure from rising authoritarianism.
“Taiwan is well-positioned to play a key role in sustaining civil society movements, and human rights and democracy organizations seeking a base in an open society governed by freedom of speech and rule of law” at a time when democratic solidarity and cooperation is needed more than ever, Wilson said.
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