The head of one of Taiwan's biggest media companies says the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan after the withdrawal of US troops may be a grim warning for Taiwan. That's according to Broadcasting Corporation of China Chairman Jaw Shaw-kong in a Facebook post on Monday evening.
Jaw says Taiwan cannot rely on the US military to keep China at bay. He says that the United States may withdraw support if protecting Taiwan is no longer in its interests.
The United States military has occupied Afghanistan for almost twenty years, starting shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. On Sunday, as the few remaining US troops were leaving the country, the Taliban took control of the capital Kabul.
On Tuesday, Premier Su Tseng-Chang said Jaw's allegations were unwarranted and that Taiwan's government is committed to protecting the country. He says there are important differences between Taiwan and Afghanistan's situations. Su says that for one thing, Taiwan is far more stable politically than Afghanistan.
Su says that Taiwan also has allies besides the US, and that Taiwan's swift control of the pandemic proves that the country is ready to handle various difficult challenges.