Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Highlights India’s Role in Countering…

Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-Lung emphasized India’s crucial role in countering China’s expansionism during a press briefing. He highlighted the potential for bilateral cooperation between Taiwan and India, particularly in the semiconductor sector, as part of broader efforts involving like-minded nations to uphold a rules-based international order. Taiwanese officials noted significant recent improvements in relations and underlined the importance of collective international effort in balancing China’s influence in the region.

Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-Lung has emphasized the critical role of India in conjunction with other like-minded nations within the Indo-Pacific framework, particularly in countering the challenges posed by China’s increasing assertiveness and expansionism. In a statement made during a press briefing held on the eve of Taiwan’s National Day, Minister Lin articulated the urgency for nations to unite against what he perceives as China’s threat to the existing rules-based international order. He underscored Taiwan’s interest in collaborating with international coalitions—namely AUKUS, the Five Eyes alliance, G7, and the Quad—to establish a robust defense framework for the region. Minister Lin pointed out the collaborative ventures between Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturers and nations such as India, Japan, Germany, and the United States as part of Taiwan’s strategic foreign policy, which aims to establish three key supply chains: a security alliance, a resilient non-China supply chain, and a global democratic chain. Minister Lin remarked that the geopolitical challenges facing the Indo-Pacific necessitate a collective response from allied countries, stating, “Especially like-minded countries get together and have closer cooperation and dialogue to face the challenge together, and among these [countries], India is especially important.” He advocated for an overarching cooperation framework that leverages the complementary economic strengths of India and Taiwan. On the subject of economic collaboration, Minister Lin highlighted initiatives such as the joint venture between Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation and India’s Tata Group, aimed at reducing reliance on what he termed the “Red supply chain.” He suggested that India could implement measures such as a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to attract Taiwanese firms operating in China to invest in the Indian market. Furthermore, Lin pointed to China’s ongoing border disputes and its strategic initiatives like the One Belt, One Road and the Digital Silk Road, alongside its military and economic coercive tactics. He described the Chinese regime as authoritarian and characterized the current geopolitical landscape as a struggle between two diverging camps—the authoritarian model led by China and the coalition of democracies advocating for a rules-based international order. In a related comment, Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Chihchung Wu noted that the United States and India are uniquely positioned to balance China’s influence, remarking on the significant improvements in Taiwan-India relations in recent years. He accentuated the importance of countering what he termed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s territorial ambitions, warning that successful territorial expansion by China could set a precedent threatening other nations, including Japan, the Philippines, and India. Despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations between Taiwan and India since they established representative offices in 1995, trade relations have flourished. As of 2023, the two-way trade amounted to $8.2 billion, with Taiwan exporting $6 billion to India, making India Taiwan’s 12th largest export market. Taiwan’s government continues to pursue pragmatic mechanisms to foster political and trade ties with nations like India as a means to counter Chinese influence.

The importance of cooperation among countries in the Indo-Pacific region is underscored by increasing concerns regarding China’s assertive territorial claims and actions in regions such as the Taiwan Strait, East China Sea, and South China Sea. Taiwan’s positioning as a democratic entity stands in stark contrast to China’s authoritarian regime, prompting the call for collaborative frameworks like the Quad and other alliances to ensure a unified defense and resilience against Chinese expansionism. The burgeoning semiconductor industry provides a keystone for such collaborations, aligning economic interests between Taiwan and countries like India amid global supply chain realignments.

Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-Lung articulated a vision for enhanced cooperation with India and other allies in addressing the challenges posed by China’s expansionism. The emphasis on strategic economic partnerships, especially in the semiconductor sector, highlights not only the economic potential of such alliances but also the wider geopolitical imperative for like-minded nations to come together to uphold a rules-based international order. The strengthening of Indo-Taiwan relations amidst shared concerns about China’s authoritarian influence and territorial ambitions signifies a pivotal strategic alliance in the Indo-Pacific region.

Original Source: www.hindustantimes.com