Meeting with Germany’s new representative to Taiwan, Karsten Tietz, yesterday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) urged Berlin to be alert to China’s use of “lawfare” and distorted historical narratives to mislead the international community about Taiwan’s sovereignty.
Lin also expressed hope that Taiwan-Germany cooperation would continue and that both sides could work together to uphold international law and shared democratic values.
In a post on Facebook summarizing the meeting, Lin wrote that China has been waging a campaign of lawfare and disinformation aimed at undermining Taiwan’s sovereignty, exploiting the 80th anniversaries of the end of World War II, the founding of the UN and “Taiwan’s retrocession” to advance the false claim that Taiwan is part of China.
Photo from Lin’s Facebook
“Lawfare is not a play on words, but a concrete tool through which China seeks to expand and distort international law,” Lin said. “The international community must not allow such misinterpretations to gain traction.”
He said he welcomed Taiwan-Germany collaboration and research on the issue, which would help jointly uphold international law and reduce the risk of other countries adopting China’s unilateral interpretations.
Lin cited remarks by German Minister for Foreign Affairs Johann Wadephul during the first Germany-Japan Strategic Dialogue in August, saying that Germany and Japan share common security interests in the Indo-Pacific region — including the Taiwan Strait, as well as the South and East China seas — and that the UN Charter’s prohibition on the use of force applies equally to these areas.
Germany has long been a model for Taiwan in industrialization and advanced manufacturing, Lin said, adding that he hopes Taiwan-Germany trade relations would grow even closer following Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s investment in Germany.
“We look forward to working with Europe to build an integrated ecosystem for semiconductor manufacturing and artificial intelligence, and we welcome Germany’s role in promoting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and upholding a rules-based international order,” he said.
Lin cited Tietz as saying that the situation in the Taiwan Strait is not wholly unrelated to Germany, as free trade and a rules-based international order are intrinsic to Germany’s national interests.
Tietz echoed Wadephul’s comments and said the UN Charter’s prohibition on the use of force should apply not only to UN members, but also to Taiwan.
As democratic societies that uphold freedom and the rule of law, Taiwan and Germany, face similar challenges from increasingly aggressive and belligerent neighbors, he said.
Their is a a broad range of topics and areas in which the two sides could collaborate, he added.
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