Taiwan seeks to avoid war amid Chinese aggression

In Australia’s increasingly challenging strategic climate, facing up to the dangers of Chinese militarism, forging strong alliances, upgrading defence hardware, backing Australian Defence Force personnel and strengthening our cyber defences have been important hallmarks of the Morrison government under Peter Dutton as Defence Minister. Such policies and actions serve our national interest.

A fortnight ago Mr Dutton told The Australian it would be “inconceivable that we wouldn’t support the US in an action if the US chose to take that action” in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan. Mr Dutton’s stance drew criticism from the opposition that he was “warmongering”, with Labor foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong accusing him of playing dangerous “political games” and “amping up war”. Hardly; Mr Dutton has made it clear he wants to promote peace by working with other nations to deter China from aggression. As Greg Sheridan wrote last week, Australia would do well to leave the bluster to China: “Their intemperance is our greatest diplomatic asset.”

In view of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s threat to take over Taiwan by force if necessary, after crushing Hong Kong, the world’s democracies, especially in the Indo-Pacific region, increasingly are demonstrating solidarity with Taiwan, a prosperous democracy of almost 24 million people. Such solidarity could help preserve peace by providing a deterrent against Chinese action. In the event of an invasion, China needs to understand that the potential fallout would be enormous.

For their part, senior figures in the Taiwanese government of President Tsai Ing-wen want to make it clear to Australians that “defending Taiwan is our own responsibility”. In an exclusive interview in Taipei, published on Wednesday, Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told Will Glasgow: “We are not asking Australia to participate in a war that Taiwan is involved in.” Taiwan, Mr Wu said, wanted to avoid war: “We try to maintain the status quo.” Australia urging peace in the region was “good encouragement for the Taiwanese people”, he said, a reassurance “we are not alone in dealing with that big authoritarian neighbour”. Australia’s escalating concern was “what we are looking for”. It was deeply appreciated, Mr Wu said, pointing to his kangaroo lapel pin.

Statements of concern also have come from the US administration, Japan and across Europe. Japan has made it clear that it would regard a Chinese invasion of Taiwan as a threat to its own security.

During the past year Beijing has sent more than 800 fighter planes near Taiwan – more than double the number it sent last year. On Sunday, the People’s Liberation Army flew another 27 military jets near Taiwan. Its latest show of force coincided with Chinese and Russian diplomats in Washington, in a joint article, expressing their displeasure with Joe Biden’s virtual Summit for Democracy, to be held on December 9 and 10. Taiwan, appropriately, has been included. The summit will focus on improving the rules-based international order and the problems of dealing with authoritarian states.

Despite China’s claims to the contrary, Taiwan is not provoking conflict. A fortnight ago, Mr Wu was one of three Taiwanese officials sanctioned by Beijing for allegedly “fanning up hostility across the Taiwan Strait and maliciously smearing the mainland”. In reality, as Mr Wu says, Beijing’s refusal to allow Taiwan’s people to determine their future was creating an increasingly dangerous situation. The Chinese Communist Party has never held sovereignty over Taiwan. Australia has recognised China, our largest trading partner, for 50 years. And our unofficial relationship with Taiwan, our 12th-largest trading partner, is strong and positive. Preserving the status quo, and peace, is in the best interests of all nations in the region.