Ambassador Jose Maria Liu
Representative of the Economic and Cultural Office of Taipei
Following the recent visit of US Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi to the Republic of China (Taiwan), China’s subsequent intimidating and threatening reaction by initiating military exercises around Taiwan defies international order and disrupts peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the entire region.
In particular, in response to Nancy Pelosi’s visit, China’s military launched three days of live-fire military exercises (4-7 August) in six areas around Taiwan, retaliation that, in addition to isolating the island of Taiwan, has had a serious impact on international trade and the rules-based international order.
Nancy Pelosi, the US third highest authority, who is touring Asia, landed in Taiwan on 2 August to show her support and deepen bilateral cooperation between the US and Taiwan, demonstrating once again the US’s “rock solid” commitment to Taiwan and its 23.5 million people.
During her two-day stay in Taiwan, Nancy Pelosi met with the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Tsai Ing-wen, and was also received by the Acting Speaker of the Legislature, as well as meeting with prominent human rights activists.
In her remarks while on the island, Pelosi expressed the United States’ “unwavering commitment to support Taiwan’s vibrant democracy”, insisted that the US “will not abandon Taiwan” and expressed pride in the “enduring friendship” between the two countries. At a time when the world is divided between autocracy and democracy, “US solidarity with Taiwan,” she said, “is more important than ever”.
The Speaker further stressed that the talks with Taiwanese leaders reaffirm US support for Taiwan and promote “our shared interests, including the development of a free and open Indo-Pacific region”.
China’s retaliation for the visit ranges from military and diplomatic to economic, as the Chinese government announced a ban on imports of more than a hundred products from multiple Taiwanese food companies to date.
This is further evidence of Beijing’s dictatorial attitude and its now habitual threats to Taiwan, seeking to undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. And it demonstrates the need for the international community to realise that China’s hegemonic expansion must be stopped.
In this regard, the G7 and the EU affirmed in a joint communiqué their “shared commitment” to maintaining the rules-based international order, as well as “peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait”, stressing that there is no justification for using a visit as a pretext for “aggressive military activity” and calling on China to stop military manoeuvres.
For her part, during a recent visit to Taiwan from 19-21 July, European Parliament Vice-President Nicola Beer has already spoken out strongly about China’s threats against Taiwan, saying that “there is no place for Chinese aggression in democratic Taiwan”. The Vice-President lamented from Taiwan that Europe has been late to Hong Kong and assured that “it will not be late to Taiwan”, insisting that it is time for Europe to support Taiwan, because we are both members of a “family of democracies”.
Contrary to Beijing’s arguments, Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in no way affects China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, nor does it constitute any “political provocation”, since Taiwan is an independent, sovereign and democratic country, and has never been part of the People’s Republic of China. As President Tsai Ing-wen has said, the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China should not subordinate themselves to each other and the future of the Republic of China (Taiwan) can only be decided according to the will of the Taiwanese themselves.
This was the first time in 25 years that a US Congressional delegation led by a Speaker of the US House of Representatives visited Taiwan, following a visit in April 1997 by then House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
© All rights reserved
