New Southbound Policy Portal

Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu discusses the importance of maintaining cross-strait peace and stability with Nike Ching of Voice of America during an interview Nov. 3 in Taipei City. (MOFA)
 

Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu said Taiwan is committed to working with like-minded partners such as the U.S. to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Wu made the remarks in an interview with Nike Ching of Voice of America for an opinion piece “Taiwan’s Foreign Minister: Biden-Xi Meeting Conducive to Taiwan Strait Stability” published Nov. 11.

China’s intense military escalation and forays into Taiwan’s ADIZ have raised international community concern over violations of the regional status quo, Wu said. If the U.S. President Joe Biden and China’s leader Xi Jinping are able to meet in-person during the Group of Twenty summit Nov. 15-16 in Bali, Indonesia, it will help maintain cross-strait and Indo-Pacific peace and stability, he added.

In respond to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s remarks made last month that China was moving faster in its plans to take Taiwan, possibly by force, Wu said safeguarding the status quo in the Taiwan Strait served the interests of all stakeholders.

Wu said that China’s ambitions are not limited to Taiwan. Beijing is exercising its influence across the East China and South China Seas and the Indo-Pacific, Wu said, adding that only through strengthening cooperation and unity among democratic nations can China’s authoritarian expansion to be curbed.

Regarding the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Summit taking place Nov. 18-19 in Bangkok, Thailand, Wu expects Taiwan envoy Morris Chang, founder and former chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., will have the opportunity to meet with leaders like U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris.

As a leader in the global semiconductor industry, Taiwan produces 92 percent of global high-end chips, Wu said. The government will continue working with partners to create sustainable, reliable and resilient supply chains while contributing further to the prosperity and development of the Asia-Pacific, he added. (YCH-E)