Tony Abbott urges support for Taiwan against China in meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen

Australia must stand ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with Taiwan as it is ‘challenged on an almost daily basis’ by China, Tony Abbott says in a meeting with the President in Taipei.

Tony Abbott with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei on Thursday.

Australia must stand “shoulder to shoulder” with Taiwan as it is “challenged on an almost daily basis” by China, Tony Abbott said in a rare visit by a former Australian Prime Minister to the island.

At a meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei on Thursday, Mr Abbott said Australia and its partners needed to increase support for the democracy.

“If I may say so, perhaps in recent times, countries like Australia have over emphasised fostering democracy in places where it has never taken root and under emphasised protecting democracy in places where it has,” the former prime minister said.

“It’s important that we get the balance right in the future.”

The visit by Australia’s 28th prime minister — his first to Taiwan — comes during rising tensions in the region. China this week flew record numbers of fighter jets near the island as Beijing’s propaganda machine threatened “war is real”.

Taiwan’s defence minister said on Wednesday that military tensions with China were at their “most serious” in more than 40 years, and warned Beijing would have the capability to launch a “full scale” invasion by 2025.

Hours later, U.S. President Joe Biden’s national security adviser met Xi Jinping’s top foreign policy aide in Switzerland, again raising Taiwan as an issue of ongoing concern.

As prime minister, Mr Abbott signed the free-trade agreement with China after a visit to Canberra in 2014 by President Xi Jinping. In recent years, he has joined the chorus of current and former leaders around the world alarmed by China’s belligerence.

Mr Abbott on Thursday said Taiwan’s transformation from an “impoverished dictatorship to a vibrant, dynamic, pluralist democracy” offered “a model” for other countries in the region, including China.

“You have demonstrated to all the countries of this region that it is possible to be both rich and free. That it is possible to have both liberty and democracy,” he said.

Mr Abbott noted Beijing’s increased hostility towards Taiwan, which has a population of 24 million, almost the same size as Australia.

Delighted to welcome former Australian Prime Minister @HonTonyAbbott to #Taiwan. We are grateful to you for supporting our bid to join the CPTPP, & will continue to work with #Australia to uphold regional peace, prosperity & security. pic.twitter.com/OjLZkOWRic

— 蔡英文 Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) October 7, 2021

“Of course, not everyone and not everywhere is pleased at Taiwan’s progress. And I do note that Taiwan is challenged on an almost daily basis by its giant neighbour,” he said.

“It’s more important than ever, under such circumstances, that your fellow democracies stand shoulder to shoulder with you.”

Mr Abbott is visiting Taiwan in a non-official capacity and will give a keynote speech on Friday at the Yushan Forum, an annual conference aimed at strengthening Taiwan’s relations in the increasingly contested region.

He was joined for the meeting with Ms Tsai by Australian Representative Jenny Bloomfield, Australia’s most senior official on the island.

After an earlier meeting on Wednesday, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu called Mr Abbott “a fair dinkum free trader” and “bold backer” of Taiwan’s bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a giant trade pact.

Ms Tsai also thanked Mr Abbott on Thursday for his support, which is shared by many members of the Morrison government.

“Your statements on the importance of a secure and peaceful Taiwan Strait are also greatly appreciated,” she said.

“Taiwan is willing to contribute to upholding regional peace and stability. We seek to deepen collaboration with other freedom loving democracies in such areas as vaccines, emerging technologies, climate change and supply chains,” she said.

Mr Abbott said the CPTPP application had significance far beyond trade and would help end Taiwan’s isolation from international bodies.

“It is in large measure to try to help to end this isolation from which Taiwan has been suffering for so many decades that I am here,” he said.

“The best thing that countries like Australia can do for Taiwan is to try to build an ever deeper relationship across the board, but particularly in trade,” he said.

“I can’t think of a stronger signal of democracies standing shoulder to shoulder with Taiwan than Taiwan’s accession to the Trans Pacific Partnership, and I do hope that your application will be welcomed by its existing members.

“Obviously, I can’t make specific commitments on behalf of the Australian government — but I am confident that I do speak for the entire Australian people when I say that, as a country, we wish the people of Taiwan to continue to flourish in peace and in freedom.”