TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said China has no right to petition the Australian government to block the establishment of a representative office in Perth, per a report by The Western Australian.
The newspaper said Chinese government sources confirmed its representatives in Canberra launched a formal protest earlier this year to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Chinese authorities urged the Australian government to adhere to the “One China Principle” and block the new office.
Taiwan's de facto embassy in Canberra confirmed to the newspaper that it had submitted an application earlier this year to establish a representative office in Perth. Taiwan currently operates representative offices in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.
The Australian government has not publicly commented on Taiwan's proposal or the reported Chinese objections. MOFA also said it had no further information on the status of the proposed Perth office.
In response to the reports, MOFA criticized what it called China's continued suppression of Taiwan's exchanges with other countries and its efforts to limit the country's international participation. It reiterated that Taiwan and China are not subordinate to each other and said Beijing has no right to interfere with Taiwan's participation in international affairs, per CNA.
MOFA said Taiwan will continue to deepen its engagement with the international community and expand cooperation with like-minded partners despite China's diplomatic pressure. It emphasized Taiwan's long-standing and mutually beneficial relationship with Australia, saying it will continue working with Canberra and other democratic partners to promote regional peace, stability, and prosperity.
Western Australia has gained strategic importance in recent years as cooperation between the US and Australia on critical minerals has expanded. The state is also home to the HMAS Stirling naval base, which is expected to play a key role in the deployment of nuclear-powered submarines under a trilateral security partnership that includes the UK.
