“The ship’s presence underlines the U.K.’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific, at the heart of which lies the U.K.’s partnership with Vietnam,” said British Embassy in Hanoi in a statement, reported Radio Free Asia…reports Asian Lite News.
British Royal Navy’s frigate Her Majesty’s Ship (HMS) Richmond reached Vietnam on Friday through Taiwan Strait, on a four-day friendly visit, that has irked China which has condemned the vessel’s passage through the sensitive strait as “a meaningless display of presence with an insidious intention.”
A picture of HMS Richmond arriving at Cam Ranh Bay was posted by the British Envoy to Vietnam.
“The ship’s presence underlines the U.K.’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific, at the heart of which lies the U.K.’s partnership with Vietnam,” said British Embassy in Hanoi in a statement, reported Radio Free Asia.
The statement also said that the frigate will conduct “bilateral cooperation activities” with Vietnam.
A few days ago China condemned the frigate passage through the Taiwan Strait, but UK made it clear that Taiwan Strait is part of international waters and free and open Indo-Pacific region.
HMS Richmond also broadcasted its location while passing through the strait. This move seemed to provoke China and it dispatched military units to follow and monitor the frigate’s passage.
The Royal Navy has also deployed two patrol vessels to the Indo-Pacific on a five-year mission to bolster Britain’s presence in the region, reports Radio Free Asia.
Earlier in July, the UK Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace made his first-ever visit to Vietnam.
Radio Free Asia commented that Hanoi has always been careful not to offend Beijing and the HMS Richmond’s visit is not being featured yet in main official news outlets such as the Nhan Dan (the Communist Party’s mouthpiece) and Quan Doi Nhan Dan (the Vietnamese army’s newspaper).
However, the media outlet said that China’s increasing assertiveness, especially in the South China Sea where the two neighbors have overlapping claims, has led Vietnam to expand its military and strategic cooperation with other nations.
PLA Air Force aircraft came in two waves, CNN reported citing Taiwan’s Defence Ministry….reports Asian Lite News
Taiwan has accused China of engaging in military aggression and damaging regional peace after 38 Chinese aircraft entered the island’s nation’s air defence zone.
“China has been wantonly engaged in military aggression, damaging regional peace,” Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang told reporters on Saturday morning.
Taiwan on Friday said 38 Chinese warplanes entered its air identification zone (ADIZ) on Friday, in what appears to be the biggest incursion by Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) since Taipei began publicly reporting such activities last year, Taiwan News reported.
PLA Air Force aircraft came in two waves, CNN reported citing Taiwan’s Defence Ministry.
A many as 25 PLA warplanes entered the southwestern corner of the ADIZ during daylight hours, and another 13 planes entered the island’s southwest ADIZ on Friday night, the ministry said in a statement.
The later flight included 10 J-16s, two H-6s and one KJ-500 airborne early warning aircraft, it added.
The incident took place on the day when China was celebrating the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the People Republic of China (PRC).
Since mid-September last year, Beijing has stepped up its grey-zone tactics by regularly sending planes into Taiwan’s ADIZ, with most instances occurring in the southwest corner of the zone and usually consisting of one to three slow-flying turboprop planes.
Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades.
‘US capable of tamping down Chinese invasion’
The United States is capable of “tamping down” China’s potential invasion of Taiwan, said the country’s Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks on Friday.
Speaking at the online forum held by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), one of the US major policy research groups, Hicks also reiterated the US commitment to strengthening Taiwan’s self-defence capability, Focus Taiwan reported.
Asked to comment on a potential invasion by China of Taiwan, Hicks said the U.S. has been watching the situation in the region very carefully “day to day”.
“We have a significant amount of capability forward in the region to tamp down any such potential,” Hicks said. “We have good relations, of course, with Taiwan. We have commitments to Taiwan that are enduring since the 1970s.”
Hicks said the primary issue is that the US is helping Taiwan to raise its self-defense capabilities against a potential invasion by China.
“That’s really important. The Taiwanese, their ability to defend themselves effectively, is a game-changer in terms of that deterrent calculus for China,” Hicks said.
Since mid-September of last year, Beijing has stepped up its grey-zone tactics by regularly sending planes into Taiwan’s ADIZ, with most instances occurring in the southwest corner of the zone and usually consisting of one to three slow-flying turboprop planes.
Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades.
Taipei, on the other hand, has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, which has been repeatedly opposed by Beijing. China has threatened that “Taiwan’s independence” means war.
On June 1, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to complete reunification with self-ruled Taiwan and vowed to smash any attempts at formal independence for the island. (ANI)
China’s Permanent Representative to the UN Zhang Jun emphasised that Beijing wants to convene the summit “because of the fact that we have so many global challenges ahead of us”. ..reports Asian Lite News
China’s Permanent Representative to the UN Zhang Jun said on Tuesday (local time) that Beijing wants a prompt summit of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (Russia, China, the US, France, the UK) to hold a discussion on a number of global issues, a media report said.
Expressing the country’s desire to hold the summit, Zhang said, “It’s our strong wish that this summit can be held as early as possible,” according to Sputnik.
He emphasised that Beijing wants to convene the summit “because of the fact that we have so many global challenges ahead of us”.
Underling the need to convene the summit, Zhang stressed that “there are so many global challenges ahead of us. And we have many peace and security issues.”
Referring to the fellow members view over holding a meet, he said P5 members Russia and France have echoed China’s call to convene the summit, reported Sputnik.
“Actually, China, Russia and France all have a proposed to have a P5 Summit, Zhang said, adding, “and since then, we have had discussions on this issue, and exploring the possibilities. Discussions are still going on.”
Taiwan and China
Taiwan should develop the range, precision and mobility of its weapons to boost the island’s defenses, said Taiwan Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng on Monday.
“It is necessary for our weapons to have long-range, precision and mobility,” Sputnik quoted Chiu as saying. He added that it will boost the island’s defenses and the combat readiness of its armed forces.
With the purchase of US F-16V fighter jets, Taiwan’s defense budget for 2022 reaches USD 18.6 billion, the minister noted. In addition, Taiwan is to spend an extra USD 8.6 billion on weapons within the next five years, Sputnik reported.
This comes as China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) continues to breach Taiwan’s Air defense identification zone (ADIZ). PLA has breached Taiwan’s Air defense identification zone (ADIZ) more than 60 times in the month of September.
Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades.
Taipei, on the other hand, has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, which has been repeatedly opposed by Beijing. China has threatened that “Taiwan’s independence” means war.
On June 1, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to complete reunification with self-ruled Taiwan and vowed to smash any attempts at formal independence for the island. (ANI)
This comes as China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) continues to breach Taiwan’s Air defence identification zone (ADIZ)….reports Asian Lite News
Taiwan should develop the range, precision and mobility of its weapons to boost the island’s defences, said Taiwan Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng on Monday.
“It is necessary for our weapons to have long-range, precision and mobility,” Sputnik quoted Chiu as saying. He added that it will boost the island’s defences and the combat readiness of its armed forces.
With the purchase of US F-16V fighter jets, Taiwan’s defence budget for 2022 reaches USD 18.6 billion, the minister noted. In addition, Taiwan is to spend an extra USD 8.6 billion on weapons within the next five years, Sputnik reported.
This comes as China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) continues to breach Taiwan’s Air defence identification zone (ADIZ). PLA has breached Taiwan’s Air defence identification zone (ADIZ) more than 60 times in the month of September.
Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades.
Taipei, on the other hand, has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, which has been repeatedly opposed by Beijing. China has threatened that “Taiwan’s independence” means war.
On June 1, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to complete reunification with self-ruled Taiwan and vowed to smash any attempts at formal independence for the island.
With China’s rising military power and its assertiveness in the Indo Pacific region, may push Australia and Taiwan to develop bilateral strategic security cooperation, said a report.
Both the countries do not have any formal defence ties yet, which could be needed as an additional tool to uphold regional security and stability with China’s rising influence in the region.
An article written by Australian Senator Jim Molan, titled ‘War-gaming tomorrow: It’s possible this will end in an all-out invasion’ in the Weekend Australian newspaper published on September 11, outlined a potential scenario for Australia in the post-Afghanistan era, reported Taipei Times.
“China has one strategic aim: to be dominant, first in the region and then perhaps in the world. The US is the target. The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) objective is to reduce US power, and Taiwan should be seen as the means,” Molan wrote.
Molan observed China’s strategy is to use a conflict in the Taiwan Strait to expel the US military from the Western Pacific.
In the last few years, the Australian government has decided to adapt itself to the ASEAN alliance structure over the regional security issues and placed increasing importance on the situation in the Taiwan Strait.
Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton in an interview said that conflict with China over Taiwan “should not be discounted,” adding that Australia would make sure that “we continue to be a good neighbour in the region and that we work with our partners and with our allies. Nobody wants to see conflict,” reports Taipei Times.
Dutton further said that China’s designs over Taiwan were increasingly apparent and that the time had come for Australia’s military to shift its centre of gravity toward neighbouring regions.
Australian Financial Review opinion article, titled ‘Australia draws the China line at Taiwan’, published on May 6 discussed the elevated tensions in the Taiwan Strait, saying that in the event of armed conflict, Australia and New Zealand might be obliged to at least provide tacit support to the US as required under the 1951 Australia, New Zealand, US Security Treaty, reports Taipei Times.
Australia’s defence strategy is focused on augmenting its military force, in order to prevent Beijing from destroying the “status quo” in the Indo-Pacific region and invading Taiwan.
Canberra and Taipei share many of the same values: democracy, liberty, the rule of law and protection of human rights, as well as a healthy bilateral trade relationship. Taiwan should make full use of the strategic opportunity of Australia paying attention to the China threat and the situation in the Taiwan Strait. (ANI)
During his congressional testimony earlier this year, Davidson said, “I think the threat is manifest during this decade — in fact, in the next six years.”..reports Asian Lite News
Former Indo-Pacific commander Philip Davidson said that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s potential 2027 transition poses threat to Taiwan.
Mikio Sugeno and Tsuyoshi Nagasawa, writing in Nikkei Asia said that Davidson sent shock waves around the world when he nailed down a specific time frame on a possible Taiwan contingency.
During his congressional testimony earlier this year, Davidson said, “I think the threat is manifest during this decade — in fact, in the next six years.”
Davidson, at the time commanding the US Indo-Pacific Command, was asked by a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee in March about a potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen Pic credits Twitter @iingwen
In an interview with Nikkei Asia on Tuesday, Davidson said that he was conscious of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s leadership terms when calculating the timeline.
Xi is widely expected to stay in power beyond the next quinquennial national congress of the Communist Party in the autumn of 2022. But when the party convenes again five years later, in 2027, there could be a transition, Davidson said, which may impact the decision to move to Taiwan.
Regarding the question on the threat in the Taiwan Strait that could materialize in the next six years, he said, “What it means, explicitly, is that the changes in the [People’s Liberation Army]’s capabilities, with their missile and cyber forces, and their ability to train, advance their joint interoperability and their combat support logistics, all those trend lines indicate to me that within the next six years they will have the capability and the capacity to forcibly reunify with Taiwan, should they choose force to do it.”
China is pursuing an all-of-party approach that seeks to coerce, corrupt and co-opt the international community in a way in which they may be able to achieve their geopolitical edge, in what some describe as “the hybrid zone” or “the grey zone” or the “three warfares,” or “lawfare,” any of those things, to force Taiwan to capitulate because of extreme, diplomatic, economic, pressure and strain.
People’s Liberation Army (PLA) (Xinhua_Cheng Min_IANS)
Answering on PLA’s capability, he said that Chinese capability is improving and they are closing the gap with the United States and Japanese forces.
“They are closing that gap with training, by establishing joint command and control structures, and by working the combat support logistics that are necessary there. They’re also advancing their capability sets. That’s principal air, sea, cyberspaces, rocket forces, space forces principally. They did take some risk in their land forces in order to find the funds to advance those capabilities, and they are investing heavily there,” said Davidson.
However, he said that at the moment, US and Japanese forces were in the lead.
Referring to US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin order on global posture review to deal with the current challenges, primarily China, Davidson said, “The last three administrations have made it quite clear that the Indo-Pacific theatre is to be the priority theatre going forward. United States needs a more expeditionary posture external to Japan, throughout the Indo-Pacific region, that could help deter peacetime and the day-to-day posture, as well as having places to go in a crisis, to help dissuade PLA adventurism.”
“To be frank, the posture required in the Indo-Pacific needs to be — the expeditionary posture especially — much more robust,” he added.
Taiwan has also planned to purchase cruise missiles and warships, along with other military equipment, Taiwan News reported citing the ministry…reports Asian Lite News.
Taiwan on Thursday announced to spend an additional USD 8.69 billion in the defence sector in the next five years amid growing threats from China.
The new money, which comes on top of the planned 2022 military budget of NWT 471.7 billion, still needs to be passed by Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan, Taiwan News reported citing media reports.
“The Chinese communists have continued to invest heavily in national defense budgets, its military strength has grown rapidly, and it has frequently dispatched aircraft and ships to invade and harass our seas and airspace,” Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said in a statement.
“In the face of severe threats from the enemy, the nation’s military is actively engaged in military building and preparation work, and it is urgent to obtain mature and rapid mass production weapons and equipment in a short period of time,” the statement added.
Taiwan has also planned to purchase cruise missiles and warships, along with other military equipment, Taiwan News reported citing the ministry.
This comes as China has ramped up diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan.
Taiwan has reported almost daily incursions by Chinese military aircraft in its air defence identification zone.
On Wednesday, Nine Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ), marking the 14th intrusion this month.
Six People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shenyang J-16 fighter jets, one Shaanxi Y-8 reconnaissance plane, one Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane, and one KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft flew into the southwest corner of the ADIZ, Taiwan News reported citing the Ministry of National Defense (MND).
Taiwan had also held five-day annual military exercises that prepared for a full-scale invasion by China, including response biological and chemical warfare.
The live-fire portion of Han Kuang exercise kicked off early Monday morning in eastern Taiwan, an area China considers a weak link, Nikkei Asia reported.
F-16V and Mirage 2000 fighter jets were dispatched to simulate a response to an armed invasion.
Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades.
Taipei, on the other hand, has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, which has been repeatedly opposed by Beijing. China has threatened that “Taiwan’s independence” means war.
On June 1, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to complete reunification with self-ruled Taiwan and vowed to smash any attempts at formal independence for the island. (ANI)
The Chinese jets included one Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft, four H-6, 10 J-16 and four Su Kai-30 aircraft….reports Asian Lite News
Taiwan on Sunday scrambled its jets soon after nearly 19 Chinese aircraft entered its air defence identification zone, the country’s defence ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence said in a tweet, “19 PLA aircraft (Y-8 ASW, H-6*4, J-16*10 and SU-30*4) entered #Taiwan’s southwest air defence identification zone on September 5, 2021.”
The Chinese jets included one Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft, four H-6, 10 J-16 and four Su Kai-30 aircraft.
Soon after the Chinese aircraft’s activities were detected, Taiwan dispatched air patrol troops to respond, the ministry said adding that an anti-aircraft missile system was also tracking and monitoring the Chinese activity.
On Saturday, four Chinese jets had entered the country’s air defence identification zone.
Taking to Twitter, Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said on Saturday, “4 PLA aircraft (JH-7*2 and Y-8 ASW*2) entered #Taiwan’s southwest ADIZ on September 4, 2021.”
Taiwan scrambled combat air patrol and deployed air defence missile systems to monitor the activity.
Beijing has been rigorously violating Taiwan’s border as it claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades.
Countries condemn Beijing
Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Menendez along with a group of pro-Taiwan legislators from Europe strongly condemned China’s political, diplomatic and economic pressure on Lithuania.
The developments came after Lithuania’s decision to establish an office in Taipei in an attempt to establish strong ties with the country, Taiwan News reported.
We stand with Lithuania, Free nations are standing together as China puts pressure on a sovereign people to change their policies. We stand together as NATO and Europe,” Tom Tugendhat, Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom also said in a tweet.
Two days ago, the Formosa Club, which is a group of pro-Taiwanese legislators in Europe, also sent messages to the EU and NATO backing Lithuania’s right to develop ties with Taiwan and to establish a trade office in its capital city. This is something that 15 other European nations have already done, Taiwan News reported.
In recent years, China has stepped up its military pressure on Taiwan. In June, the country sent over two dozen warplanes near the island, prompting Taiwan to alert its air defences.
On June 1, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to complete reunification with self-ruled Taiwan and vowed to smash any attempts at formal independence for the island.
Reacting to Xi’s remarks, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) accused the CCP of tightening its dictatorship in the name of national rejuvenation internally and attempting to alter the international order with its hegemonic ambitions externally, Focus Taiwan reported.
“We urge the other side of the strait to learn from history and push for democratic reforms,” the MAC said, calling on the CCP to stop expansionist behaviour and to act as a responsible party in promoting regional peace. (ANI)
Tsai also said that increasing collaboration among Taiwan and its partners will make Beijing exercise restraint in its policy-making, including military activities…reports Asian Lite News
Amid Chinese repressive measures, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on Tuesday called on Japan and other developed countries to step up cooperation to help ensure peace and stability on the Taiwan Strait.
Tsai made the appeal in an online interview with Japanese monthly magazine Bungei Shunju, reported NHK World.
She said Japan, the United States and other nations discussing the Taiwan Strait and expressing concern sends a signal to China, which has been continuing its military buildup.
Tsai also said that increasing collaboration among Taiwan and its partners will make Beijing exercise restraint in its policy-making, including military activities, reported NHK World.
Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades.
China has repeatedly threatened Taiwan with invasion and has adopted an aggressive policy to intimidate the self-governing island.
On June 1, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to complete reunification with self-ruled Taiwan and vowed to smash any attempts at formal independence for the island.
She mentioned the joint statement issued after a Japan-US summit in April and the communique of the Group of Seven summit in June, both of which referred to the importance of peace and stability on the strait.
The president said Japan’s donation of coronavirus vaccines to Taiwan is proof of their long-standing friendship, and she is grateful that the country offered a helping hand at a most challenging time for Taiwan, reported NHK World.
She added that she wants to pass on the bilateral relations to the next generation.
Taiwan lauds Lithuania
Taiwan on Wednesday lauded Lithuania for what it called a “courageous and principled stance” after the Baltic nation said it is determined to pursue mutually beneficial ties with the self-ruled island despite growing Chinese pressure.
Taking to Twitter, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said Lithuania and Taiwan will continue working together to safeguard freedom and democracy for the benefit of “our citizens”.
“We applaud Lithuania’s courageous and principled stance on Taiwan. Friendship, cooperation and respect are the bedrock of positive international engagement. As forces for good, we’ll continue working together to safeguard freedom and democracy for the benefit of our citizens,” the ministry tweeted.
This comes after the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry issued a statement in response to China’s decision to recall its envoy over Vilnius’ plan to open a Taiwan representative office.
In July, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu announced that Taiwan would open a representative office in Vilnius.
Japanese-Prime-Minister-Yoshihide-Suga
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday strongly opposed Vilnius’ decision saying “the government “decided to recall the Chinese ambassador from Lithuania and asked the Lithuanian government to recall its ambassador from China”.
Lithuania does not yet have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but it maintains increasingly friendly relations with Taipei.
Vilnius has been an increasingly vocal critic of China’s actions towards Taiwan, as well as in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday strongly opposed Vilnius’ decision saying “the government “decided to recall the Chinese ambassador from Lithuania and asked the Lithuanian government to recall its ambassador from China”.
Reacting to China’s decision, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said: “While regretting this move of China, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry takes this opportunity to reiterate that in line with the One-China principle Lithuania is determined to pursue mutually beneficial ties with Taiwan like many other countries in the European Union and the rest of the world do.”
Tensions between China and Lithuania have escalated in recent months. In May, Lithuania pulled out of China’s 17+1 cooperation forum with central and eastern European states.
Meanwhile, Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis has even urged other EU member countries to follow suit amid worsening ties between the 27-member bloc and China.
In May, the Lithuanian parliament termed China’s treatment of its Uyghur minority as “genocide”, and voted to call for a UN probe of the internment camps in the country’s northwest region of Xinjiang. (ANI)
Taipei’s “New Southbound Policy” under Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen is also in sync with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Act East Policy…reports Mahua Venkatesh
Taiwan is quietly increasing its investments in India from the current $2.3 billion. Recently, a Taiwanese delegation met Maharashtra officials to discuss ways to boost economic and technological activities between the two.
“Very fruitful discussion with Hon MP U. Patil, Hon MP Shevale and Hon MP H Patil. Looking forward to closer ties between Taiwan and India in general as well Taiwan and Maharashtra in particular,” Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC) that serves as the de-facto embassy in India, said in a tweet.
Last month, the Telangana government proposed setting up a Taiwan specific industrial cluster in the state to attract more investments from Taiwan.
Several Taiwanese contract manufacturers including Foxconn, Wistron Corp and Pegatron Corp have already set up their manufacturing facilities in India. According to a Reuters report, these companies have drawn up plans to plough in $900 million in India over the next five years to tap into the government’s production-linked incentive plan.
Taiwan is also a key player in the global supply chains network.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen Pic credits Twitter @iingwen
Though New Delhi and Taipei have no diplomatic ties at present, India is one the 18 countries under its New Southbound Policy” that Taiwan is expecting to expand its bilateral and economic ties with.
“There is a need to build greater economic co-operation and trust between India and Taiwan. The two countries need to leverage each other’s strengths,” Gopal Krishna Agarwal, BJP’s spokesperson on economic affairs said.
“It will be beneficial to both countries (India and Taiwan) to increase mutual cooperation economically and even diplomatically,” Agarwal said, adding that India’s foreign and economic policies need to be driven by domestic interests.
Taipei’s “New Southbound Policy” under Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen is also in sync with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Act East Policy.
Senior government officials pointed out the need to expand bilateral relations “based on mutual interests.”
“We should expand our ties with Taiwan irrespective of what our relations are with other countries. Taiwan is already a mature economy and a technology hub,” Shakti Sinha, former bureaucrat and director at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Policy Research and International Studies said.
In fact, last year, thousands of Indians took to the social media to celebrate and mark the National Day of Taiwan in October despite the Chinese embassy issuing a letter to the Indian media organisations to honour the “One China” policy. “All countries that have diplomatic relations with China should firmly honour their commitment to the One-China policy, which is also the long-standing official position of the Indian government,” the letter said.
“To us, it is very important to improve relations with India. It is a country that shares the same values with Taiwan and it is also a country that has a very rich, traditional culture and it is also a country that is so rich with its potential,” Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told India Today in an interview in October.
Is India gradually moving away from the One-China policy?
Eyebrows were raised when Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama publicly on his 86th birthday last month.
“But as this was the first time since 2015 that the Prime Minister was publicly greeting the Dalai Lama on his birthday, it has naturally raised a whole set of questions about India’s China policy at large,” an Observer Research Foundation paper said. There are growing demands in India to have a re-look at its �One China’ policy. Since 2010, India has not been using One China policy in its official statements and documents but as China is refusing to abide by the agreements of the past, New Delhi too should start thinking afresh of its commitment to the recognition of Tibet as an Autonomous Region of China, the paper added.
President Xi with Prime Minister Modi, during the G20 Summit in 2016 (Wikipedia)
In May, Taiwan also sent Covid 19 related medical assistance to India. “Taiwan’s deployment of medical supplies is testament to the close collaboration and partnership across multiple agencies on both sides,” the TECC had said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Japan, a member of the QUAD along with India, Australia and the US, in a shift of its Beijing policy, for the first time removed Taiwan from the map of China in the Defence of Japan white paper.
With the rapidly changing geopolitical contours, countries have aggressively started re-aligning and resetting their foreign policies.
“It is time India officially buries the One China policy and realign with other forces,” Agarwal said.
(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)
This move follows a series of US arms sales to Taipei as China steps up its military and diplomatic pressure against the self-ruled democratic island….reports Asian Lite News
China has expressed strong opposition to United States arms sales to Taiwan and lodged solemn representations with the US side, Xinhua reported on Thursday.
“We urge the United States to abide by the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, particularly the August 17 Communique,” Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.
Amid heightened tensions in the Taiwan strait and increasing Chinese incursion in Taiwan’s air defense zone, the Biden administration on Wednesday announced it has approved a possible USD 750 million weapon sale to Taiwan.
The move runs counter to international law and the basic principles of international relations, and violates the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, particularly the August 17 Communique, the spokesperson said.
US President Joe Biden, when he was the vice president, with China’s President Xi Jinping during a visit to Beijing in 2011. (File Photo White House_IANS)
The potential deal includes “40 self-propelled howitzer artillery systems and related equipment, and serves “US national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency under the Defense Department said in a news release.
This move follows a series of US arms sales to Taipei as China steps up its military and diplomatic pressure against the self-ruled democratic island.
Taiwan has thanked the US administration for approving the USD 750 million weapon sale, saying it allows the self-ruled island to maintain a “rock-solid self-defense, and regional peace and stability”.
Taiwan defense ministry on Thursday noted that this is the first time the Biden administration has announced an arms sale to Taiwan, adding that it shows Washington “has always attached great importance to Taiwan’s defense capabilities and has continued its policy of normalizing arms sales to Taiwan in recent years,” Taiwan New
The ministry also said Taiwan will resolutely enhance its national defense to “protect its citizens’ lives, property, and free and democratic way of life,” and that through close cooperation with the U.S., it will maintain security in the Taiwan Strait and “contribute to the long-term peace, stability, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.” (ANI)
