China is taking lessons from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Taiwan’s foreign minister says | 24CA News
Taiwan’s international minister says China is probably going wanting on the battle in Ukraine to tell a possible invasion of the island.
Russia has suffered a major variety of losses in Ukraine in current months. Although Russia claims its forces took management of the salt-mining city of Soledar in japanese Ukraine final week, the entrance traces have barely budged since its final massive retreat within the south two months in the past.
Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu instructed 24CA News Network’s Rosemary Barton Live in an interview airing Sunday that China may very well be Russia’s navy setbacks to shore up a plan to invade Taiwan.
“I think what the Chinese are learning from [the war in Ukraine] is the weakness of the Russian military so that they can strengthen themselves in their future possible attack against Taiwan,” Wu instructed host Rosemary Barton.
Taiwan’s international minister, Joseph Wu, speaks to CBC chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton concerning the rising issues of Chinese invasion and what the island democracy hopes for from allies around the globe.
“Of course, this is going to be a wrong lesson, because war means devastation.”
On Wednesday, China renewed its threats to assault Taiwan and warned that international politicians who work together with the self-governing island are “playing with fire.”
The feedback got here as German and Lithuanian politicians visited the island final week.
A spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office stated the nation was recommitted within the new yr to “safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity” and “smashing plots for Taiwan independence.” The self-governing democracy separated from mainland China in 1949.
A variety of international lawmakers — together with Canadian MPs — have visited the island in current months, spurring shows of navy would possibly from each China and Taiwan within the Taiwan Strait.
At the tip of December, China despatched 71 planes and 7 ships towards Taiwan — the biggest such train in 2022.
Wu stated Taiwan is making an attempt to strengthen its personal navy capabilities however insisted that the island does not need a battle with China.
“We are trying to prevent the war from taking place,” he stated.
In a separate interview on Rosemary Barton Live, Defence Minister Anita Anand stated Canada is anxious about China’s navy demonstrations within the Taiwan Strait.
“Xi Jinping is under enormous pressure domestically,” Brett Bruen, president of Global Situation Room, tells Power & Politics. “If he is looking to try to shore up domestic support, we may see him try to undertake a … minor incursion of Taiwan.”
The federal authorities’s Indo-Pacific technique, launched in November, states that “Canada will oppose unilateral actions that threaten the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.”
“We need to make sure that Canada has an increased presence in that area and we are cooperating with our allies to ensure substantive engagement occurs,” Anand instructed Barton.
U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin stated final month that he doubts the rising navy tensions within the area will lead to an invasion.
“We’ve seen increased aerial activity in the straits, we’ve seen increased surface vessel activity around Taiwan,” Austin stated. “”But whether or not or not that signifies that an invasion is imminent, you realize, I significantly doubt that.”
But Brett Bruen, a former U.S. director of global engagement in the Obama administration, told 24CA News Network’s Power & Politics that Chinese President Xi Jinping may opt for a small invasion as a distraction from China’s internal policies.
Until just a few weeks ago, China had a strict “zero-COVID” policy. Lockdowns were widespread and extremely restrictive. But in early December, following a series of angry protests and in response to a faltering economy, China abruptly dropped the strict rules.
“If [Xi] is seeking to shore up home assist we may even see him attempt to undertake a … minor incursion of Taiwan,” Bruen told host David Cochrane. Bruen said one of the smaller islands between Taiwan and China could be a target.
Canada’s UN Ambassador Bob Rae told CBC Radio’s The House that while it’s not clear whether China will invade Taiwan, Xi’s recent rhetoric is “deeply troubling.”
“We should be ready and prepared for no matter comes. We should not be naive about it,” he told host Catherine Cullen.
During his stop in Ottawa last week, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that “he want to collaborate with Canada to keep up and strengthen the peace and stability” of the Indo–Pacific region, according to a readout from the Japanese embassy.
During a press conference following his meeting with Trudeau, Kishida said Japan and Canada “strongly agree” that there should be no attempt to change the international “establishment” through violence, although he didn’t specifically mention Taiwan.
“That ought to by no means occur anyplace, together with in Asia,” he stated.
