Foreign Minister Joseph Wu has told US public radio network NPR that Taiwan won’t simply rely on US intervention if it faces a Chinese attack. Wu was speaking during an interview taped on Sunday and posted online Tuesday.
Wu spoke about recent improvements in Taiwan-US ties, calling a recent visit to Taiwan by US Under Secretary of State Keith Krach “monumental”. He also said that Taiwan will continue strengthening its economic, trade, political, and security ties with the US, but is not now seeking to set up formal diplomatic ties with Washington.
Wu also spoke about China’s increasing use of military maneuvers in an effort to intimidate Taiwan. He said that recent breaches of the midline of the Taiwan Strait by Chinese military aircraft are of particular concern. However, he said that while Taiwan’s recent moves to build closer ties with the US have angered Beijing, these moves have been the right ones for Taiwan to take.
Wu said that Taiwan hopes that arms sales from the US will continue, but that Taiwan’s defense is ultimately its own responsibility and it must be prepared to protect itself. He said that he doesn’t feel that Taiwan is a pawn in US-China rivalry, and that given US support for Taiwan, Taiwan doesn’t feel that it is being used.