TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A conflict in the Taiwan Strait is neither imminent nor inevitable, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said at a press conference earlier this month.
Speaking to European media, Wu said Taiwan continuously strives to avoid conflict but seeing authoritarian regimes launching arbitrary attacks on democratic nations like the Russia-Ukraine war has strengthened Taiwan's resolve to defend its hard-earned freedoms, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Wu stressed that war in the region would be disastrous for everyone. Taiwan plays a crucial role in the global semiconductor supply chain and the Taiwan Strait is a key global shipping route, he said. Any conflict would severely impact Taiwan, the global economy, and China.
The foreign minister urged European leaders to continue recognizing that maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is an indispensable part of global security and prosperity. He rejected any unilateral attempts by China to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait through force or coercion.
Wu said Taiwan has established mechanisms to examine trade and investment with China to avoid overreliance on its economy. He called on European nations to cautiously engage in trade with China and adopt countermeasures against Beijing’s trade coercion.
Regarding advancements in ties with Europe, Wu praised the Czech Senate's active promotion of Taiwan-Czech cooperation and their continued resolutions supporting Taiwan's international participation. He also thanked Lithuania for being the first European country to donate vaccines to Taiwan.
Wu said the goodwill between Taiwan and Lithuania was exemplified by his trip to the country, which resonated with the Taiwanese, resulting in increased purchases of Lithuanian products. Taiwan hopes to expand this positive momentum to more European countries, he said.
