Australian MPs to Attend Taiwan Inauguration, Says Beijing Can’t Dictate Australia

DFAT rejected Beijing’s ‘incorrect assertions,’ saying the visit is consistent with Australia’s one China policy.
Australian MPs to Attend Taiwan Inauguration, Says Beijing Can’t Dictate Australia
Taiwan's President-elect Lai Ching-te (L) gestures beside his running mate Hsiao Bi-khim during a rally outside the headquarters of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Taipei on Jan. 13, 2024. Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP via Getty Images
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A pending visit to Taiwan by five federal Members of Parliament to attend the presidential inauguration ceremony has angered Beijing.

After recent elections, Taiwan has a new president-elect, Lai Ching-te, regarded by Beijing as a supporter of the island’s independence, who will be inaugurated next week.

Coalition MPs Claire Chandler and Scott Buchholz intend to be at the ceremony, as do Labor MPs Raff Ciccone and Luke Gosling.

The Chinese Communist Party reiterated its claim over Taiwan immediately after Mr. Lai was elected in January.

The announcement of the four-day visit prompted the Chinese embassy in Canberra to warn Australia that Taiwan was “an inalienable part of China’s territory.”

The regime urged the Australian government not to waver from its One China policy, under which the government does not recognise Taiwan as an independent country. Australia maintains unofficial ties with Taiwan.

Important Relationship

However, Senator Chandler emphasised the bipartisan nature of this and previous Australian parliamentary delegations visiting Taiwan.
“It’s not for others to seek to dictate how Australia should engage with our partners,” she wrote on X.

She pointed to the importance of Australia’s relationship with the self-governed island nation, highlighting trade, investment, and cultural ties.

Taiwan is Australia’s seventh largest trading partner, and Australia is a main source of coal and natural gas imports for Taiwan.

Senator Ciccone claimed the trip was “entirely consistent with Australia’s one-China Policy.”

“The prime minister has already congratulated Dr. Lai Ching-te on his victory in the election and I look forward to celebrating the vibrancy of Taiwan’s democracy with the Taiwanese people at the inauguration of their new president,” he said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) rejected Beijing’s “incorrect assertions.”

“These visits are consistent with Australia’s one-China policy and with past practice,” a spokesperson said. “Parliamentarians travelling to Taiwan do so in their individual capacities. Australia’s representative in Taipei will also attend the inauguration, consistent with past practice.”

Beijing Accused of Misrepresentation

Taiwan’s chief representative to Australia, Douglas Hsu, also said Beijing’s were “a deliberate attempt to misrepresent common diplomatic practice in terms of visits by foreign government officials to Taiwan.

“As [a] sovereign country, the Republic of China (Taiwan) has been widely recognised as a mature democracy,” Mr. Hsu said. “We encourage and welcome even more visits from democratically elected Australian representatives to Taiwan.”

Chapters of the Taiwanese Association of Australia will hold celebrations in several states, with Labor MP Daniel Mulino scheduled to make the opening remarks at the event in Melbourne.

“It is appropriate for Australian MPs to acknowledge the successful conduct of an election and to congratulate the winner. This includes the recent election in Taiwan,” Mr. Mulino said, adding, “Democracy should not be taken for granted.”

This latest dispute comes just weeks after a PLA Air Force jet fighter dropped flares in front of an Australian Navy helicopter in international waters as it was enforcing sanctions against North Korea.
Rex Widerstrom
Rex Widerstrom
Author
Rex Widerstrom is a New Zealand-based reporter with over 40 years of experience in media, including radio and print. He is currently a presenter for Hutt Radio.
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