Joseph Wu says Beijing is seeking to expand its ‘authoritarian order’ and calls for ‘like-minded’ nations to act together to protect Taiwan

Helen Davidson in Taipe

Sun 6 Dec 2020 22.28 EST

The international community must join together in resisting China’s expansionism and preventing an invasion of Taiwan by sharing intelligence, rethinking Chinese business ties and boosting Taipei’s presence on the world stage, Taiwan’s foreign minister has said.

Joseph Wu said China’s activities in the South China and East China seas, its border skirmishes with India, and its crackdown on Hong Kong were evidence of it seeking to “expand its authoritarian order”, and that Taiwan was its next target.

Despite the Chinese Communist party never having ruled Taiwan, Beijing considers it to be a breakaway province that must be brought back to the motherland, by force if necessary. It has dramatically built up its military capabilities, increased aerial incursions and military drills, and sharpened its rhetoric against Taipei and the US for its support of Taiwan. In October China’s president, Xi Jinping, told troops to prepare for war.