TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The international community must understand that any conflict involving Taiwan would have disastrous results for the whole world, according to Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮).
"What we need to do is to explain to the international community that if there's any conflict involving Taiwan, it's going to have disastrous results for the rest of the world,” Wu said on Wednesday (Aug. 2), per AFP. Wu referenced the war in Ukraine as an example of what could transpire in Taiwan if a conflict broke out, citing the fuel and food shortages in the country.
Wu cited Taiwan’s world-leading position in the production of semiconductors as a point of vulnerability for the global economy, should China attempt an invasion of the island. "Think about the disruption of the supply chain," Wu said.
"We hope that the Chinese government will not resort to the use of force against Taiwan, because the impact is going to be too serious for the world," he stressed.
Wu frequently gives interviews to foreign media to promote Taiwan in the world and repeated claims made in a recent interview that China is interfering with Taiwan’s democratic processes. "What China has been doing in engaging in cognitive warfare is to change the thinking of the critical minority here in Taiwan, to vote the other way so they can change the outcome of the election," he said.
Taiwan’s next presidential election is in January 2024, and presidential candidates have already proved to be a source of tension in the Taiwan-China relationship. The poll-leading Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate and Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) announced stopovers in New York and San Francisco during an Aug. 12-18 trip to Paraguay, a move China staunchly opposes.
Despite the existential threat to Taiwan’s current system of government, Wu reiterated that Taiwan does not seek any other country to fight for it. "We understand that this is our place, this is our country, this is our sovereignty and it is our democratic way of life. Therefore, defending Taiwan is our own responsibility," Wu said.
"We will not give it up for anything at all," Wu added.
