New Southbound Policy Portal

Taiwan will continue to maintain close and friendly ties with the U.S. regardless the outcome of the country’s presidential election, Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu said Oct. 28.
 
The government is not choosing sides in the election but remains committed to deepening its relationship with both major U.S. parties to further bolster bipartisan support for Taiwan, he added.
 
Wu made the remarks during a video interview at Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Taipei City with Pablo Diez, Asian correspondent for Spain-based daily ABC.
 
According to Wu, China’s military activity in the region is worrying. He cited as an example instances of China’s warplanes crossing the Taiwan Strait’s median line during the August visit of Alex Azar, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
 
Such military expansion has seriously jeopardized regional peace and stability, Wu said, adding that Taiwan is not the only country under threat, with India, Japan and countries in the South China Sea also on high alert.
 
The minister said the government remains willing to take up dialogue with China under the principles of parity and peace. As Beijing continues to impose the “one country, two systems” model on Taiwan, however, Wu called on all like-minded partners to press China not to change the cross-strait status quo.
 
As a result of the government’s success in managing COVID-19, an increasing number of European countries are showing stronger support for Taiwan, Wu said. The minister urged the global community to continue backing Taiwan’s participation in the activities, mechanisms and meetings of the World Health Organization, adding that the rights of the country’s 23 million people should not be ignored. (SFC-E)
 
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw