Taiwan Foreign Min Wu urges countries to 'think twice' before becoming reliant on China

Foreign Minister of Taiwan Joseph Wu has encouraged the European Union nations and other countries to think twice before becoming too economically and politically reliant on China, in an interview with US-funded Radio Free Europe in Prague on October 27. Wu also said that if any country thinks they are dependent on China, their foreign policy can become skewed and if they believe their actions or policies are dependent on China, they must be conservative.

In the face of rising military threats from China, the European Union has pledged its support for Taiwan. Days after the EU reaffirmed its support for Taiwan, Wu proceeded on a trip to Europe. According to the Toronto-based research tank IFFRAS, the minister's trip to Europe conveyed a clear message that the EU is standing with the United States, Japan and Australia, which have been attempting to corner China on a slew of concerns including human rights breaches and territorial expansions.

China's expanding military incursions have been criticised by Western democracies

China's expanding military incursions in the region have been criticised by Western democracies. According to the think tank, the EU's intervention has put a stumbling block in Beijing's plans to annex Taiwan. The EU hinted at a shift in policy towards Beijing a few weeks ago when European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager expressed solidarity with Lithuania, saying that the EU will continue to push back against these attempts and adopt appropriate tools, such as the anti-coercion instrument, currently under preparation.

In the light of China's increased military activity in the Taiwan Strait, Vestager has expressed alarm about potential threats to Europe's security and prosperity. She was quoted by IFFRAS as saying that the Europeans have an interest in maintaining the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and they will continue to voice their concerns in the interaction with China and step up coordination with like-minded partners such as the G7.

Beijing continues to claim sovereignty over Taiwan

Despite the fact that the two sides have been ruled separately for almost seven decades, Beijing continues to claim sovereignty over Taiwan. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday stated that Taiwan has no alternative destiny but reunification with China and that it has no international legal position other than that of a Chinese province.

(With Inputs from ANI)

Image: AP