吳釗燮的警告與新定義

【縛雞之見】

Taiwan’s foreign minister Joseph Wu declared clearly in the interview that the status quo of Taiwan refers to “Taiwan is a free and democratic country and “not run by China”. Also, he echoed that Taiwan is “on the frontline of China's expansion of its authoritarian order.” It is a new and cautious definition, meaning the crisis is not only an issue of Taiwan or the region but also the free world.
The journalist Tom Cheshire used precise terms in describing the development of Taiwan after the end of the war, including “the KMT retreated to Taiwan,” “(Taiwan) became part of the Republic of China, under the rule of the nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) government,” “(Taiwan was under) military dictatorship under the KMT.”
However, he misused the term in saying that UN Resolution No.2758 in 1971. Despite the term “expel” is correct, it was “the representative of Chiang Kai-shek,” not “the Republic of China,” expelled.
That is a result of the recognition warfare launched by Beijing.

台湾外长吴钊燮在采访中明确宣布，台湾的现状是指「台湾是一个自由和民主的国家」，「不是由中国管理」。另外，他还附和说，台湾「处于中国扩大其威权秩序的前线」。这是一个新的和谨慎的定义，意味着危机不仅是台湾或地区的问题，也是自由世界的问题。
记者汤姆-切希尔在描述战争结束后台湾的发展时使用了精确的术语，包括「国民党撤退到台湾」，「（台湾）成为中华民国的一部分，由国民党政府统治」，「（台湾处于）国民党的军事独裁统治之下」。
然而，他在说1971年的联合国第2758号决议时误用了这个词。尽管「驱逐」一词是正确的，但驱逐的是「蒋介石的代表」而不是「中华民国」。
这是北京发起的认知战争的结果。（中文由DeepL翻譯Taimocracy修正） 

'We will defend ourselves to the very end': Taiwan minister's vow as China 'prepares final assault'    sky news 20210428

Joseph Wu said China had "been conducting misinformation campaigns" against Taiwan and had increased their grey zone activities.

China is "preparing for its final military assault" on Taiwan, the island's foreign minister has told Sky News, as he vowed to "defend ourselves to the very end".

In an exclusive interview, Joseph Wu said that China had "been conducting misinformation campaigns, hybrid warfare, and recently they have increased their grey zone activities against Taiwan".

"And all these seem to be preparing for their final military assault against Taiwan," he added.

"This is our country, this is our people and this is our way of life. We will defend ourselves to the very end.

"Taiwan happens to be on the frontline of China's expansion of its authoritarian order. And if Taiwan is taken by China, I think the consequences will be global."

Mr Wu also praised the UK's decision to send the HMS Queen Elizabeth, the Royal Navy's new aircraft carrier, to the region.

"For the UK to think about sending military surface ships to this part of the world, to show that the UK cares, is also welcomed," he said.

Chinese military aircraft have been making almost daily incursions into Taiwan's air identification defence zone recently, with April being a record month.

This week, it also sent its Liaoning aircraft carrier on a course to the east of Taiwan - the second such manoeuvre in recent weeks.

Taiwan says it is an independent country, with its own government, military and elections.

China insists the island is part of its territory and has vowed to claim it by force if necessary or if the territory "secedes" from China.

At a recent press briefing in Beijing, Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for China's ministry of foreign affairs, said: "China must and will be reunified.

"We are willing to do our utmost to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification, but will never leave any room for any forms of 'Taiwan independence' secessionist activities."

Mr Wu insisted that formal independence was not his government's intention - merely the preservation of the currently ambiguous status quo.

Taiwan is not recognised as a state by many countries, including the US and UK, but still maintains unofficial relations with them.

"Listen to the policy statements of this government, including the president (Tsai Ing-wen) herself," he told Sky News.

"We are trying to safeguard the status quo that Taiwan is a free and democratic country, that Taiwan is not run by China."

There has been an increase in Chinese military pressure since September last year. Mr Wu suggested this was because of domestic weakness in China.

"Very often an authoritarian state experiencing difficulties will actively create a crisis externally to divert domestic attention," he said.

"This is the situation we see right now. If you look at the economic situation of China, since the trade war between the United States and China - China suffered. Growth is declining.

"And last year, when COVID was rampaging the rest of the world, China suffered tremendously as well.

"Under these sort of circumstances, it's quite natural for an authoritarian country to think about creating its own historical legacy.

"Taiwan is a historical legacy and we are watching very carefully."

 

 

Why 'strategic ambiguity' around Taiwan's status could become unsustainable    sky news 20210428

China has been increasing its military activities in and around Taiwan, making almost daily forays into the island's air defence identification zone since September.

And a top US admiral has warned that China could invade Taiwan within the next six years.

Taiwanese troops staged a drill aimed at repelling an attack from China, which has increased its threats to reclaim the island.

What is Taiwan's status?

Taiwan says it is an independent country called the Republic of China, with its own government, military and elections. The People's Republic of China insists the island is part of its territory.

But only 15 countries officially recognise Taiwan as a sovereign state and it is not a member of the UN.

Countries including the UK and the US, as well as the UN, maintain only "unofficial" relations with the island.

Why?

At the end of the Second World War, Taiwan, which had been a Japanese colony for 50 years, became part of the Republic of China, under the rule of the nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) government. Civil war between the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) followed.

When the CCP, led by Mao Zedong, triumphed, and established the People's Republic of China, the KMT retreated to Taiwan. They retained the name of Republic of China and installed a strict authoritarian rule. Both the CCP and KMT agreed that Taiwan was part of China but each insisted only they represented its rightful government. Taiwan was backed by the US and a stalemate emerged.

What changed?

In 1971, the UN recognised the People's Republic of China as the legitimate representative of China and the Republic of China was expelled. In 1979, the US government recognised the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate government of China.

However, the US did not recognise Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan - instead it only "acknowledged" China's position that Taiwan is part of China - the so-called "One China" principle - while not taking a position. Essentially, it was a diplomatic fudge that has lasted to this day.

Why is it a problem now?

By 1996, Taiwan had transitioned from a military dictatorship under the KMT to a full democracy. The contrast in ideology and in governance with the Communist ruled PRC has led to a much greater sense of Taiwanese, rather than Chinese, identity.

The current ruling party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) led by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen argues that Taiwan is an independent country and rejects the one China principle.

In response to developments in Taiwan's democracy, the PRC passed laws formalising its right to use non-peaceful means if Taiwan tried to "secede" from China. And since President Ing-wen's election in 2016, and re-election in 2020, China has been increasing its diplomatic and military pressure on the island.

Why could it be a global flashpoint?

Although the US does not official recognise Taiwan, it passed its own law in 1979, the Taiwan Relations Act, which says that Washington will "maintain the capacity... to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardise the security, or the social or economic system, of the people on Taiwan".

It is not formally committed to the defence of Taiwan, instead maintaining a "strategic ambiguity" that aims to dissuade Taiwan from declaring formal independence and the PRC from forceful "reunification"

The US has been steadily increasing its ties with the island and President Biden has said American commitment to Taiwan is "rock solid". That has enraged Beijing, which views Taiwan as purely an internal affair.

The worry is that strategic ambiguity will eventually become unsustainable.