In an interview with The Globe & Mail, Taiwan‘s Foreign Minister Wu Chiu-she said today that Beijing has launched a “grey zone” military attack strategy against Taiwan and called on Canada and like-minded democracies to stop China from fully occupying Taiwan by imposing sanctions on China and strengthening trade relations with Taiwan.
Wu said that many people in Taiwan say China may have already begun its invasion of Taiwan. He even noted that a Chinese military attack on Taiwan would probably happen “at some point” and that the risk of war is higher and “the threat is more serious and real” than it has been in the past few decades.
Wu, who is working to build a global alliance against China’s expansionism, fears Taiwan is the next target after Beijing’s crackdown on Hong Kong, the RIMPAC newspaper said.
The newspaper said the “gray zone” war does not involve outright armed conflict, but rather cyberattack infiltration, disinformation and other means to weaken the will of the enemy.
In the interview, Wu said the Chinese Communist Party has established a foothold in Taiwanese society. Taiwanese media have repeatedly reported in recent years how China has planted Communist Party members in Taiwan’s news media, political parties, business organizations and temples to expand its influence.
They have set up proxies in Taiwan to try to launch a disinformation campaign against Taiwan, Wu said. All kinds of fake news can be found on Taiwan’s Internet or social media, and some are even used by mainstream media.
China’s cyber attacks have intensified over the past few years, and it has also sent warplanes or bombers into Taiwan’s airspace frequently, sometimes several times a day, and each time Taiwan has had to send warplanes into the air in response, Wu said. He said the situation is worrisome as China tries to deplete Taiwan’s air defense capabilities.
Wu said Taiwan will not seek direct military assistance from Canada, but hopes that Canada, along with the United States, Australia, Japan, Europe and other democracies, will take action against China so that it must be wary of advancing on Taiwan. These countries need to develop a strategy because “Taiwan is facing a military threat that no other country is facing.
Wu also praised Canada’s suspension of its extradition treaty with Hong Kong, arguing that Canada could do the same as the United States and impose “Magnitsky” sanctions, including visa travel restrictions and the freezing of bank accounts, on Chinese Communist Party officials who crack down on Hong Kong. Canada could also send a message to Beijing that it does not tolerate China’s increasingly aggressive behavior around the world.
Wu also suggested that Canada follow the U.S. lead in closing the Confucius Institute, expelling representatives of Beijing’s state-run media, and considering an anti-infiltration law similar to Taiwan’s that would identify people in Canada who work for Chinese state-run enterprises or pro-China organizations.
Wu also said that while Canada is considering why China has been able to penetrate Canadian society, it can continue to strengthen Canada-Taiwan relations in the area of trade and investment, including signing the Canada-Taiwan Investment Protection Agreement (FIPA) as soon as possible and inviting Taiwan to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP); this agreement will help promote comprehensive free trade in the region, while the FIPA will provide legal protection for bilateral investors and enhance Canada-Taiwan trade exchanges.
Recent Comments