Foreign Minister Wu gives exclusive L’Express interview

2022/06/08

The government is committed to safeguarding Taiwan’s freedom and democracy by enhancing asymmetrical defense capabilities and strengthening civil-military cooperation, according to Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu.

Taiwan is on the front lines of authoritarian expansionism, Wu said. This is evidenced by Beijing’s repeated incursions into the country’s airspace and waters, threatening the regional security, he added.

Wu made the remarks during an exclusive interview with Cyrille Pluyette of L’Express published June 4 by the France-based outlet.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s threats against Taiwan are similar in nature, Wu said. The country is drawing lessons from the East European country’s successful resistance such as importance of unity and resolve among the people, he added.

Taiwan will continue to deepen friendship and expand exchanges with like-minded partners, Wu said. It is hoped the global community continues its support for the country, he added.

According to Wu, peace and stability throughout the Indo-Pacific is now a focal point of the free world, Wu said. Case in point are the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue involving Australia, India, Japan and the U.S., the trilateral security pact between Australia, the U.K. and U.S., and freedom of navigation operations conducted by France and the U.K., he said.

On Taiwan-Lithuania ties, Wu said the relationship is advancing across a broad spectrum of areas. The mutual goodwill of the like-minded partners is further demonstrated by Lithuania’s donation of COVID-19 vaccine doses to Taiwan last year, he added.

Regarding Taiwan-France relations, the two sides have deepened collaboration in various fields over the past six months, Wu said. Standouts include French Senate and National Assembly visits, as well as calls by the EU member state for Taiwan’s inclusion in the global health framework during the 75th edition of the World Health Assembly, he added.

In a tweet on its official Twitter account, the MOFA said “Minister Wu gives an enlightening interview to @CyrillePluyette of @LEXPRESS. Discover his thoughts on trending topics like the threat #Taiwan faces from #China, #Ukraine’s courageous resistance, & our country’s ties with #Lithuania & fellow #EU member state #France.” 


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