Self-ruled Taiwan will defend its freedom at all costs against any external threats, the president said on Oct. 8, which includes those from its giant neighbor China.
“It hopes for a peaceful, stable, predictable, and mutually beneficial coexistence with its neighbors,” Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen addressed the annual Yushan Forum in Taipei, amid a rise in tensions with China that has sparked alarm around the world.
De facto independent Taiwan has its own military, democratically-elected government, and constitution. Yet claimed by China as its own territory, the island has seen China’s incursions at an unprecedented rate.
“This latest action by China, threatening the island of Taiwan, makes clear that China intends an adversarial, provocative relationship with Taiwan, those that support it, and those that value personal freedoms,” Murkowski said according to an Oct. 7 press release.
“If the U.S. stands for democracy, free trade, and personal and civil liberties then we, along with our allies, must remain steadfastly behind Taiwan,” said the senator.
“Taiwan may be small in terms of territory, but it has proved that it can have a large regional presence [in the Indo-Pacific],” she said, adding that Taiwan is “fully committed” to collaborate with countries to achieve regional prosperity.
Taiwan has been seeking the support of other democracies as the stand-off with China worsens and has hosted four French senators and former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott since this week.
