The government yesterday rejected an offer by China for energy security if Taiwan agreed to Beijing’s rule, an expected response given Taipei has expressed that it does not want to be governed by its neighbor.
Governments around the world are scrambling for alternative energy supplies since the US-Israeli war on Iran severed shipping lanes through the vital Strait of Hormuz.
Taiwan receives one-third of its liquefied natural gas from Qatar and the government has said that it has secured alternative supplies for the months ahead, including from the US, the nation’s main international backer.
Photo: Screen grab from the CPC Corp, Taiwan Web site
In response to China’s offer, Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Ho Chin-tsang (何晉滄) said: “Of course, this is impossible. This is part of cognitive warfare,” referring to what Taipei views as psychological pressure from Beijing.
“On energy, we in Taiwan have made preparations, we have safety reserves and response plans,” Ho added.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Chen Binhua (陳斌華) said in Beijing on Wednesday that “peaceful reunification” would bring better protection of Taiwan’s energy and resource security with a “strong motherland” as its backing.
Taiwan rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and says only Taiwanese can decide their future.
China has long offered Taiwan “one country, two systems” autonomy if it agrees to be brought under Beijing’s control, which no major political party supports.
In October last year, Xinhua news agency mapped out what it said were the advantages Taiwan would enjoy after “reunification,” including economic support, but said the nation had to be run by “patriots.”
China, the world’s top oil importer, last week banned fuel exports until at least the end of the month, in an attempt to pre-empt domestic shortages, sources said, curbing exports that last year totaled US$22 billion.
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