TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Switzerland warned China against escalating tensions after it launched a live-fire exercise off Taiwan's southern coast last month.
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis last week warned Chinese authorities and the Chinese embassy in Switzerland after the drills, per CNA. This rare move by Switzerland underscores the strategic importance of the Taiwan Strait, according to Swiss foreign policy experts.
In February, the PLA without prior notice announced zones for live-fire exercises off Kaohsiung and Pingtung, as well as in the Tasman Sea off Australia’s east coast. These actions broke international precedent and posed a high risk to international flights and maritime safety, drawing protests from the governments of Australia, New Zealand, and Taiwan.
On Mar. 11, Swiss Federal Assembly member Jean-Luc Addor questioned the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs about its response, criticizing China’s actions as violating norms and creating conflict in a region of significant economic and commercial interest to Switzerland. Addor serves as a co-chair of the Switzerland-Taiwan parliamentary friendship group.
According to the Federal Assembly’s website, Cassis responded on Monday, outlining the Swiss government’s actions. He said tensions in the Taiwan Strait were very concerning.
Cassis said that on Mar. 13 his department “warned the Chinese authorities and their representatives in Bern that a miscalculation during military maneuvers could lead to an escalation in this high-risk area.” He emphasized that this message was part of Switzerland’s ongoing calls for calm and dialogue in East Asia and the South China Sea.
Experts familiar with Swiss foreign policy told CNA that as a permanently neutral country, Switzerland typically remains silent on regional disputes or potential conflicts. Therefore, the Swiss foreign minister’s public statement warning Chinese authorities is highly unusual, demonstrating that peace in the Taiwan Strait is of global importance.
