Amid efforts by India and China to mend fences after prolonged tensions in the wake of the Ladakh military stand-off, Taiwan has expressed confidence that New Delhi will continue to support its cause and take steps to deepen India-Taiwan cooperation in diverse areas, including the critical semiconductor sector.
‘’Taiwan and India are indispensable partners in the global democratic community… it is a marriage made in heaven,’’ Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung told a group of senior journalists from Indo-Pacific nations.
Rejecting Beijing’s repeated claim that Taiwan is a part of China, he asserted that Taiwan is an independent nation with strong democratic credentials. “China has not ruled Taiwan even for a single day. They (China) are writing a novel perhaps…even if they tell a lie 100 times, it won’t become a truth (that Taiwan is a part of China),’’ he added.
Mr Lin also spoke about the recent controversy during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit, when the Chinese media reported that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told the Chinese minister that India considered Taiwan as part of China. New Delhi subsequently vehemently denied any change in its position on Taiwan.
The Taiwanese minister wondered why Beijing is applying pressure on other democratic nations to reduce their engagement with Taiwan while China’s own trade with the island nation has been increasing. ‘’India has a relationship with Taiwan that focuses on economic, technology and cultural ties…why should China oppose it? Our economies are highly complementary,’’ he said.
Mr Lin was of the view that India and Taiwan should aspire to conclude a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) at an early date, disregarding any objections from China. ‘’An FTA will allow a comprehensive economic partnership between our two nations and also enable us to meet the challenge posed by the tariff announced by President Donald Trump,’’ he added.
The minister noted that many Taiwanese are taking their investments out of China to other destinations and pointed out that India could be a very good destination for them. ‘’The best way for us is to sign an FTA…this will also help our businesses move out of China. I sincerely urge India to have this strategic thinking,’’ he added.
Mr Lin also hoped that the two countries would ink a wide-ranging Migration & Mobility Agreement that they have been discussing for some time. ”We have come across some difficulties on the Migration & Mobility Agreement. We need to find a solution,’’ he added.
On the Dalai Lama, he said Taiwan has the highest respect for the Tibetan spiritual leader, who has been living in exile in India. ‘’The Dalai Lama has visited Taiwan twice. We hope he continues to enjoy good health and can visit us again,’’ he added.
The minister also called China a ‘’regional troublemaker’’ after the Solomon Islands barred Taiwan and other dialogue partners, including the US, from the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders’ meeting.