若無美持續支持 吳釗燮：台易遭中國武力占領….. 中央社20180723

【Comment】

I do not get it, the logic of Wu. 

He said “By itself, Taiwan exists outside China, Taiwan exists by itself, so there's no need for Taiwan to go beyond what it is right now.”（台灣靠自己，生存於中國之外，台灣靠自己生存，所以台灣沒有超越現狀的必要。）

If Taiwan exists by itself, it is is legitimate for Taiwan go chasing its independence and welfare without infringing on others.  That is logic.

Wu said "Therefore maintaining good relations with Taiwan is the key to have Taiwan as an example to the Chinese people, especially Chinese Catholics, that they can have freedom of religion one day."

It is an expectation, not anticipation.

Maybe what Wu said “not preparing” in “the Taiwan government is not preparing for a time when they no longer have any diplomatic partners” is true.

若無美持續支持 吳釗燮：台易遭中國武力占領…..  中央社20180723

中華民國外交部長吳釗燮接受美國CNN專訪表示，總統蔡英文決心維持兩岸現狀，而若無美國持續軍事支持，台灣易受北京武力占領。吳釗燮也表示，台灣不預期會失去所有邦交國。

美國有線電視新聞網（CNN）報導，總統蔡英文領導的民主進步黨2016年執政以來，北京持續對台灣政府加大施壓力道。中國海軍18至23日在台灣海峽進行實彈演習，這是一系列軍演中最新舉措。解放軍傳聲筒「環球時報」引述專家表示，這場演習「針對台獨分裂分子量身訂製」。

吳釗燮指出，這些實彈演習是「恫嚇台灣人民」行動的一部分。他說：「我們正試圖最大限度地加強與理念相同國家的合作，試圖與美國安全合作，以避免中國以為他們可以很快占領台灣。」

吳釗燮並表示，台灣政府認為對美關係近年來更加牢固，但是華府繼續在軍事和外交上支持台灣至關重要，「（如果）中國看到台灣的弱點，沒有獲得美國的支持，那麼他們會考慮啟動能夠占領台灣的方案」。

中國國家主席習近平尋求兩岸統一，然而吳釗燮表示，北京對付台灣的作為，與習近平所盼目的背道而馳，使台灣民意背離北京。

吳釗燮說：「他們說要贏得台灣民心，但他們所做所為..卻造就台灣一般民眾對中國政府的仇恨，把台灣往反方向推得越來越遠。」

美國總統川普政府執政初期曾出現台灣會不會成為華府和北京之間一顆棋子的疑慮，但經過一年半後，吳釗燮指出，台灣對於川普執政後台美關係日益密切感到欣慰。

「川普總統保持非常好的對台關係..並告訴我們，他們相信台灣不容被交易、民主不容被交易。」

被問到身兼民進黨主席的總統蔡英文會否推動台灣獨立時，吳釗燮表示，蔡總統決心與中國大陸維持現狀。他說：「我們要維持兩岸和平穩定..台灣靠自己，生存於中國之外，台灣靠自己生存，所以台灣沒有超越現狀的必要。」

儘管友邦總數持續減少，吳釗燮堅稱台灣政府並不預期會有失去所有邦交國的一天。他說：「一些（改變的）國家重回我們身邊，表示中國沒有兌現財政上的承諾，也沒有兌現政治上的承諾。」

他提到：「中國給他們的，都是可以輕易毀棄的東西。」

仍然承認台北而不承認北京的國家當中，梵蒂岡最具象徵意義，但是過去6個月以來，有關教廷可能正在考慮與北京建交的傳聞甚囂塵上。

吳釗燮表示，台灣仍然希望與梵蒂岡維持長期外交關係。

他說：「我們與梵蒂岡官員密切聯繫，告訴他們，要讓中國大陸可以普遍享有宗教自由，而台灣在這方面向來是盞明燈。因此，與台灣維繫良好關係是個關鍵，讓中國人民拿台灣做榜樣，尤其是中國的天主教徒，讓他們期待未來某一天將可享有宗教自由。」（譯者：何宏儒/核稿：陳亦偉）1070723

Taiwan vulnerable to Chinese invasion without US, foreign minister says….CNN 20180723

Taipei, Taiwan (CNN) Without continuing United States military support, Taiwan would be vulnerable to an armed takeover from Beijing, the island's foreign minister told CNN in an exclusive interview.

Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told CNN the Taiwan government felt relations with the US had grown stronger in recent years, but it was vital for Washington to continue to support Taipei militarily and diplomatically.

"(If) the Chinese see the vulnerability of Taiwan, not getting US support, then they would be thinking about starting scenarios where they would be able to take Taiwan over," he said.

Despite Taiwan being self-governed for almost seventy years, the mainland Chinese government continues to view the island as an integral part of its territory.

Beijing has been ramping up pressure on the Taiwan government since President Tsai Ing-wen's Democratic Progressive Party, which traditionally favored independence, took power in 2016.

The Chinese navy has been conducting the latest in a series of live-fire military drills in the Taiwan Strait from Wednesday until Monday, which an expert quoted in state media tabloid Global Times said was "tailored for Taiwan separatists."

Wu said the live-fire drills were part of a campaign to "intimidate the Taiwanese people."

"We are trying to maximize our cooperation with like-minded countries, try to engage security cooperation with the US to prevent China from thinking that they can take Taiwan over just overnight," he said.

Beijing provoking 'hatred'

Beijing has long dreamed of reuniting Taiwan with the Chinese mainland.  In a nationalistic speech in March, President Xi Jinping described unification as "the aspiration of all Chinese people," while during a visit by US Secretary of Defense James Mattis in June, Xi said China would not give up "any inch of territory."

But Wu said China's actions against Taiwan were undermining any support for Xi's reunification efforts and turning public opinion against Beijing.

"They say they want to win the hearts and minds of Taiwanese people but what they're doing ...  is to create hatred among the regular Taiwanese people of the Chinese government.  It is pushing Taiwan further and further away," he said.

Early in the Trump administration there were questions over whether Taiwan would be used as a pawn between Washington and Beijing, given the latter's keen interest in returning the island to the fold.

But more than a year-and-a-half later, Wu said Taiwan is pleased with the growing closeness of Taiwan US relations under the Trump administration.

"President Trump maintains very good relations with Taiwan ...  they told us that they believe Taiwan is not tradeable, and democracy is not tradeable," he said.

Asked whether President Tsai, leading the traditionally pro-independence DPP party, would push for Taiwan independence, Wu said Tsai was determined to maintain "the status quo" with its mainland neighbor.

"We want to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait ...  By itself, Taiwan exists outside China, Taiwan exists by itself, so there's no need for Taiwan to go beyond what it is right now," he said.

Diplomatic battle

As part of their campaign of pressure, the Chinese government has been slowly chipping away at Taiwan's small number of remaining diplomatic allies around the world.  In May, both the Dominican Republic and Burkina Fasosevered ties with Taipei in exchange for Beijing.

But despite their dwindling number of allies globally, Wu insists the Taiwan government is not preparing for a time when they no longer have any diplomatic partners.

"Some countries (who switched) are coming back to us and saying they didn't get what China promised, they didn't get what China promised financially and they're not getting what China promised politically," he said.

"What China gave them is something which is easily destroyable."

The most symbolic country which still recognizes Taipei over Beijing is the Vatican, the tiny nation home to the leadership of the Catholic Church.

In the past six months, rumors have leaked out suggesting the Holy See might be considering switching its allegiance to the Beijing government but Wu said Taiwan still hoped the Vatican could remain their diplomatic partner for the long term.

"We stay in very close contact with Vatican officials, telling them what they want is to allow freedom of religion to prevail in mainland China, and Taiwan has been serving as a beacon in that aspect," he said.

"Therefore maintaining good relations with Taiwan is the key to have Taiwan as an example to the Chinese people, especially Chinese Catholics, that they can have freedom of religion one day."