MOFA Minister Wu participates in Brussels Forum webinar

2020/06/12

Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaushieh Joseph Wu participated in a webinar for the Brussels Forum June 9 in Taipei City in which he discussed the Taiwan Model for managing coronavirus and the country’s role in the post-pandemic world order.
 
 Focused on approaches to China after COVID-19, the event was organized by Washington-based think tank German Marshall Fund of the United States. Panelists included U.S. Sens. Chris Coons and Marsha Blackburn, European Parliament Member Reinhard Butikofer and GMF Vice President Ian Lesser.
 
 According to Wu, Taiwan is under increasing pressure from China, with Beijing sending military aircraft and vessels to conduct exercises around Taiwan during the pandemic. The country is not alone in feeling threatened by its increasingly assertive neighbor, Wu said, citing as examples the border conflict with India, East China Sea dispute with Japan and imposition of a national security law on Hong Kong.
 
 Despite the mounting pressure, Taiwan will continue to stand strong in defense of democracy and as a beacon of hope for countries facing authoritarian regimes worldwide, he added.
 
 Wu said Taiwan’s success in combating coronavirus and its generosity in providing allies and like-minded partners with donations of key medical supplies gave the country a major boost in its efforts to attend this year’s World Health Assembly, with many nations in Europe voicing their support for the first time.
 
 The pandemic has also exposed the risks of relying on China for key materials, the minister said, adding that Taiwan can contribute to the restructuring of global supply chains. The government is willing and able to work with other countries such as the U.S. as a reliable partner in this regard, he added.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)