TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) on Tuesday (Aug. 17) responded to comments that what happened in Afghanistan should be a lesson for Taiwan, describing people who speak like this as “emboldening enemies.”
Broadcasting Corp of China Chairman Jaw Shaw-kong (趙少康) said the U.S. pullout from Afghanistan and the rapid fall of the country to the Taliban shows the unreliability of America. He questioned whether what happened to the Central Asian nation would happen to Taiwan, which depends heavily on the U.S. for its national defense.
Jaw pointed out that Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani chose to flee the country as the Taliban closed in on the capital, and he asked whether President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Su would do the same were Taiwan to come under siege.
Su responded that the Kuomintang (KMT) kept Taiwan under authoritarian rule for 38 years, during which time activists fighting for democracy were not afraid of being imprisoned or slaughtered, CNA reported.
Today, in the face of China saying it would annex Taiwan by force, “We are likewise not afraid of being imprisoned or slaughtered, as we must protect this country, this land, unlike some others who are always self-defeating and emboldening enemies,” said the premier.
Su went on to say that the lesson to be learned from Afghanistan is that when turmoil came from the inside, no help from the outside would work. He urged the Taiwanese to be determined and believe “Only when we protect the land, will we deter others from invading it and taking over. And only when we help ourselves, will others help us.”
Since her inauguration, President Tsai has attached much importance to coordinating with democratic countries that share the same values and interests as Taiwan, Su said, adding that the U.S., Japan, and South Korea have all said they are very concerned about stability in the Taiwan Strait.
