Foreign Minister Wu gives exclusive interview to Swiss Tages-Anzeiger

2022/12/20

Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaushieh Joseph Wu said Taiwan is determined to enhance its asymmetrical combat capabilities to defend the country’s sovereignty and democratic way of life.
 
The minister made the remarks during an interview with Christof Munger and Simon Widmer of Tages-Anzeiger via video conference for an article published Dec. 17 in the Zurich-based national daily newspaper.
 
According to Wu, the government is paying close attention to political and social developments in China as Beijing might be seeking a scapegoat to divert domestic attention from internal turmoil.
 
In addition to the nearly 3,000 air intrusions by China’s warplanes so far this year, Wu said Beijing is stepping up composite attacks and economic coercion by banning Taiwan’s agricultural exports. The possibility that China is planning an attack on Taiwan cannot be ruled out, he added.
 
The minister said China wants to control Taiwan for its strategic location in the first island chain and key role in the global semiconductor industry, adding that Taiwan’s thriving democracy also poses a serious threat to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s authoritarian regime.
 
In the face of China’s blatant ambitions, the government remains calm, rational and responsible in its commitment to maintaining the cross-strait status quo, Wu said. The minister reiterated the fact that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait do not belong to each other and that the future of Taiwan can be determined only by its 23 million people.
 
Wu also called on the global community to continue its support for Taiwan. He expressed hope that the Swiss government would show greater recognition of Taiwan’s resilient democracy and economic prowess while expanding bilateral cooperation to combat disinformation and composite threats for the benefit of both sides. 


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