On Tuesday, October 28th, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China, Joseph Wu, faced questions from the media and expressed his lack of concerns about the meeting between U.S. President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea this week, emphasizing that the partnership between Taiwan and the United States is very strong.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit is taking place in Gyeongju, South Korea this week, with the anticipated meeting between Trump and Xi scheduled for Thursday, October 30th during the conference. Minister Joseph Wu addressed the media after attending the “Taiwan-Europe Submarine Cable Security Cooperation Forum”, stating confidently that there is no worry about Taiwan being “abandoned” by the U.S. in any discussions or meetings involving Trump and Xi.
He further mentioned that Taiwan and the U.S. have a stable relationship in various fields including security, trade, commerce, and others, showcasing a close cooperation between the two nations.
APEC is one of the few international organizations that the Republic of China participates in, however, Taiwan did not send President Tsai Ing-wen to attend this summit.
Before heading to South Korea, Lin Hsin-i, the Republic of China’s APEC representative and former Minister of Economic Affairs, expressed to reporters at the airport that this summit provides an opportunity for “equal interaction” with other participating members.
The Chinese Communist Party’s aggressive actions towards Taiwan have been escalating, with frequent military and diplomatic threats over the past five years, including sending fighter jets and warships to harass Taiwan’s airspace and waters.
Chinese state media on Tuesday harshly criticized “separatist elements” and once again mentioned the so-called “One Country, Two Systems” plan as a way to claim sovereignty over Taiwan.
The Republic of China government stated that the Chinese Communist Party has no authority to speak or represent the Republic of China internationally, emphasizing that only the people of Taiwan can decide their own future.
On the same day, authorities in Chongqing, China announced an investigation into Shen Boyang, a legislator of the Republic of China from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, accusing him of engaging in activities related to “Taiwan independence” through the establishment of the “Black Bear Academy” organization and other means, despite lacking jurisdiction over matters involving the Republic of China. The Taiwan Affairs Office of China stated that this action is in line with the implementation of the “22 measures against separatism”.
Shen Boyang responded by stating that this is the fifth or sixth time within a year that he has been sanctioned by China, with this investigation being conducted directly by public security, potentially leading to cross-border investigations or overseas arrest in the future as a form of intimidation.
He further pointed out that this marks a new stage in China’s “legal warfare” and “intimidation warfare”, aiming to instill fear and control over the people of Taiwan through local public security and criminal law measures, stressing that this is not just targeting him individually but is meant to intimidate all Taiwanese who defend democracy.