China’s threat in the South China Sea has increased significantly as it deploys a large number of armed militias at sea
Release Date – Sunday, 23rd March 25th at 11:30pm
Taipei: Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said China’s threat in the South China Sea is increasing significantly because China has deployed a large number of armed maritime militias in the region in addition to a series of warships and other military assets, calling on all stakeholders to work together to address the challenge.
Wu also cited China’s growing military activity in the Indian Ocean region, including attempts to control major ports in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Djibouti, and wanted New Delhi to pay “close attention” to it.
In an interaction with an international media outlet, Taiwan’s foreign minister stated that countries with interests in the South China Sea must join hands to deal with the challenges posed by China’s growing military power in the region, and Taiwan is ready to share its experience to deal with China’s threat.
Mr. Wu commented on a variety of issues, including regional security challenges, geopolitical instability following the Ukraine war, and China’s military threat in the Taiwan Strait.
“India is also facing threats on its northern border with China. The challenges India may face are not only military threats from North Korea, but also the Indian Ocean.”
Taiwan’s foreign minister said it was time for democracies to work together to tackle common challenges from China, including sharing resources.
“China is working hard to protect ports along the Indian Ocean — Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, all the way to Djibouti. The lessons we have learned from the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka mean a lot to us.
China bankrupted Sri Lanka and it doesn’t care about the financial situation of these countries.
It is repeating the same pattern in Myanmar and some other countries.
“We should keep a close eye on these developments. I believe this is something that the Indian government is also watching very closely, and in this regard, I would say that the federal democracies facing the common challenge of the People’s Republic of China need to cooperate with each other,” he said.
China’s ruling Communist Party calls Taiwan a province of the country and has repeatedly warned the self-governing island must be united with China, by force if necessary. Beijing has threatened to attack if Taiwan declares formal independence or delays reunification talks.
Wu said China’s growing military activities in the South China Sea should be cause for concern.
“If you look at China’s naval activity in the South China Sea, all of us are concerned. From the data I’ve seen, from the briefings I’ve received, I can say that there are a dozen Chinese warships in the South China Sea area. patrol.”
“And it’s not just warships. China also has a large maritime militia with fishing boats. There are hundreds of them, and they follow orders from the PLA,” he added.
Taiwan’s foreign minister said there were many problems with the Philippines’ maritime militia, with hundreds of fishing boat militias coming and besieging areas, adding that it was “a difficult problem for the Philippines”.
Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia are likely to face the same problems, he said, “which requires all of us to find ways to deal with the challenges China poses in the maritime domain.”
“Taiwan has been under relentless military threats. Judging from the situation in the South China Sea, China has been showing off its military power, especially trying to intercept warships or reconnaissance planes from other countries in an undemocratic and unprofessional way, creating tension in the South China Sea. Tensions have escalated dramatically,” he said.
Wu also referred to China’s seizure of control of Hambantota, a deep-sea port in southern Sri Lanka, saying lessons could be learned from it, adding that Beijing was also responsible for Colombo’s financial difficulties.
In 2017, Sri Lanka signed a $1.1 billion deal with China to gain 99-year control and development of Hambantota Port. The deal has sparked concern in India, as well as many of its neighbours.
India does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but the two have trade and people-to-people ties. Bilateral trade relations between the two countries continued to develop.
Some experts in India have been pushing to upgrade New Delhi’s relationship with Taipei, especially in the area of trade and investment, following a border dispute with China in eastern Ladakh.
In 1995, New Delhi established the India-Taipei Association (ITA) in Taipei to facilitate interaction between the two sides and promote business, tourism and cultural exchanges.
The Indian Taipei Association is also authorized to provide all consular and passport services.
In the same year, Taiwan also established the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in Delhi.
