Taiwan welcomes key allies’ support after Aukus agreement angered China | Taiwan

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Taiwan welcomed the support of key allies after a US-Australian ministerial forum pledged to deepen ties with the island and called on the European Parliament for a bilateral trade deal.

A Foreign Office spokesman also cautiously noted the British prime minister’s refusal to rule out getting involved in a war with China over the island, but said Taiwan was not asking anyone to fight on its behalf.

The comments come amid growing international concern about China’s aggression in the Indo-Pacific region, and a day after the US, UK and Australia announced the Aukus Agreement, an important new security partnership widely seen as a move aimed at countering Beijing.

On Friday, senior government ministers at the annual US-Australian Ministerial Consultation (OSMN) announced a mutual intent to “strengthen relations with Taiwan,” which they described as “a leading democracy and a critical partner for both countries.”

“The United States and Australia reiterated their continued support for a peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues without resort to threats or coercion,” Osmin’s joint statement said.

In response, Taiwan’s foreign ministry “sincerely thanked” the United States and Australia for their “steadfast and open” support.

“Building on the solid foundations in place, our government will continue to work closely with the United States, Australia and other countries with similar ideas to expand Taiwan’s international space, safeguard democracy and shared values, the rules-based international order, and jointly protect peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

Taiwan is considered to be at risk of attack or invasion by China, which claims to be a province, although the possible nature and timing are debated. Unification is a major goal of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who did not rule out the seizure of Taiwan by force. Beijing regards Taiwan’s democratically elected government as a separatist, but Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has said Taiwan is already a sovereign state and does not need a declaration of independence.

Osmin’s statement issued by government representatives also strongly criticized China for its actions in the South China Sea and human rights abuses. In response, the Chinese embassy in Canberra said it would “strongly oppose and reject the baseless accusations and false statements”.

“This small step to put pressure on China will not work, but it is an orchestrated farce.”

On Thursday, China accused the newly formed Okos of “obsolete Cold War mentality and parochial geopolitics.” Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the decision to grant Australia – a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty – nuclear technology was a “very irresponsible” double standard.

As China’s aggression in the region grew and Taipei courted alliances, Western countries pushed for the greater inclusion of Taiwan on the global diplomatic stage and showed increasing support for its defense against China.

None of the Aukus countries recognize Taiwan as a country. Instead, they only have official relations with the government of the People’s Republic of China, which claims Taiwan as a Chinese province under the “one China principle”.

Many other countries have their own “one China” policies, which determine the level of recognition their governments have for Beijing’s policy. The United States and Australia, for example, recognize but do not recognize Beijing’s claim on Taiwan.

Following the Aukus announcement on Thursday, former British Prime Minister Theresa May asked Johnson: “What are the implications of this agreement for the position the UK will take in its response if China attempts to invade Taiwan?”

In response, Johnson was careful not to rule anything out. “The UK remains determined to stand up for international law and this is the strong advice we will give our friends around the world, the strong advice we will give the government in Beijing,” he said.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry will not comment on whether or how it has determined that the UK was involved in the outbreak of the conflict. Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told the Guardian earlier that he had seen countries like Australia and Japan likely provide logistical or intelligence support, not military.

On Friday, Oe said Taiwan welcomed the formation of the Oaks “but that does not mean that we are asking the UK to engage in conflict across the Taiwan Strait”.

“We are responsible for Taiwan’s national security, and we are not asking the UK or any other country to fight on our behalf,” Oe said.

“Of course we greatly appreciate the support of the international community and like-minded countries, but this is not necessary.”

Also on Thursday, the European Parliament passed a resolution that included recommendations for the EU to “urgently” negotiate a trade agreement with Taiwan. Earlier this year, a trade deal negotiated years ago between the EU and China was essentially frozen after mutual sanctions stemming from EU concern over human rights abuses in China, including in Xinjiang.

China this week submitted an application to join the Comprehensive and Advanced Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a major trade pact between Asia and the Pacific signed by 11 countries in 2018.

The European resolution also called for concrete measures to facilitate Taiwan’s accession to the United Nations as an observer, and expressed its “grave concern over China’s resolute and expansionist policies in the South China Sea, East China Sea and Taiwan Strait, in particular China’s persistent and purposeful military provocation in Taiwan.”

“While China is an important trading partner, it is also a systemic competitor that challenges our way of life and the liberal world order,” Hilda Vottmanns, a member of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said in the statement.

Margaret Lewis of Seton Hall College of Law in New Jersey said the EU’s decision is important given the recent spat between China and Lithuania over the latter’s support for Taiwan, and to emphasize Taiwan’s importance in the global market.

“I am happy to see explicit support from the EU in part because while Beijing is trying to bully Lithuania, it is important to show that it will not work,” she said.

“The EU didn’t need to make that statement – it was a decision to make a statement that they know will not be viewed favorably by Beijing.”

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