Foreign Minister Wu gives exclusive interview to Austria’s Die Presse

2023/06/06

Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu said Taiwan is committed to enhancing self-defense capabilities while drawing lessons from Ukraine and garnering global support to deter China’s ambition.
 
Wu made the remarks during an online interview from Taipei City with Susanna Bastaroli for an article published June 3 by Vienna-based daily Die Presse.
 
While China is ramping up cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns and cognitive warfare in an attempt to destabilize society, Wu said Taiwan has successfully thwarted such composite threats, thanks to cooperation between government agencies and civic organizations.
 
Beijing is also attempting to destroy democracy by spreading disinformation and misinformation around the world, he said, adding that the Taiwan government is willing to share its experience and work to counteract such aggression with like-minded partners.
 
According to the minister, China’s continuous military exercises in waters and airspace near Taiwan are jeopardizing the cross-strait status quo and escalating military tension in the region.
 
Wu said the government is doing its best to prevent a war from breaking out across the strait, however, it is also reforming the military, extending mandatory military service, enhancing asymmetric combat capabilities and procuring advanced defensive weaponry from the U.S.
 
Taiwan produces a great majority of the global supply of semiconductors, while 50 percent of global marine cargo traffic passes through the Taiwan Strait, Wu said. The world needs to inform China clearly about the consequences if it attacks Taiwan, he added.
 
With regard to Taiwan’s global participation, Wu said the country’s continuous exclusion from the World Health Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization is not only unjustified but also runs counter to the two U.N. specialized agencies’ mandates and puts health and aviation safety at risk worldwide.
 
Similarly, Taiwan’s inclusion in the global crime-fighting network would help advance the combat of cross-border criminal activities, Wu said. As Austria is set to host Interpol’s general assembly this year, the minister urged the EU member state to adopt a neutral and professional stance and support Taiwan’s bid to take part in Interpol.


Fuente: Noticias de Taiwan (https://noticias.nat.gov.tw/)