In recent years, major regional conflicts have occurred one after another around the world, which has not only drawn international attention to the Taiwan Strait issue again, but also observed that each regional conflict may affect the development of cross-strait relations. In this regard, Legislative Yuan Foreign Affairs Committee member Chen Guanting believes that the recent passage of the aid package by the U.S. Congress shows that Taiwan and the United States are moving towards the goal of achieving peace through strength, and the people should be more aware of threats and risks. Taiwan’s Ambassador to Sweden Gu Ruisheng also emphasized that there are two aspects to looking at regional conflicts and national security. The first is common values, and the second is common interests. The common value of the former is democracy, while the latter can use Taiwan’s strategic advantages to expand international relations. connection of common interests.
China Central Radio and Kainan University co-hosted a roundtable forum on “Regional Conflict and National Security” today (24th). CCTV Chairman Lai Xiuru, CCTV Director Zhang Ruichang, Kainan University Chairman Yan Zhiguang, Kainan University President Lin Yuexiu, Legislator Chen Guanting, Representative to Sweden Gu Ruisheng and others were invited to attend the opening ceremony. Experts and scholars were also invited to participate in the event to provide relevant policy suggestions for responding to regional conflicts and ensuring national security.
Legislator Chen Guanting, who has long paid attention to Taiwan’s foreign affairs and defense issues, believes that geopolitical conflicts have been the focus of the international community recently. The challenges the United States now faces are from the Middle East, Israel, Iran, to Ukraine and Russia, as well as North Korea and the Taiwan Strait. The emergence or intensification of multiple regional conflicts at the same time is an unprecedented challenge in the past thirty years. Different from the past, when opponents were mostly unilateral and with disparity in strength, the opponents currently encountered are all regional. hegemons such as Russia, Iran and China.
Legislator Chen Guanting. (Photo by Jiang Lihua)
Only by helping yourself and others can you increase your strength and pursue peace.
Chen Guanting believes that for Taiwan, the geopolitical conflicts it is currently facing are similar to those of its allies. How to deter potential geopolitical conflicts depends on the two major tasks of “resource investment” and “re-assurance.” Chen Guanting said that the so-called resource investment means that we must increase investment in ourselves, because peace can be achieved through strength. As for reassurance, we need to strengthen cooperation with allies such as the United States and NATO. For example, the “Indo-Pacific Security Supplement” recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriation Bill” is to respond with practical actions to the outside world’s doubts about the United States’ will to support its allies.
Chen Guanting emphasized that he has always advocated the continuous increase of defense budget. Judging from the enlightenment of the Russia-Ukraine war, as long as there is appropriate investment of military resources, facts have proved that these totalitarian countries are not as powerful as imagined. At the same time, we must also make If we make a commitment, other countries will also give us support. In addition, Chen Guanting also believes that the national defense department should clearly inform the public about the current threats and difficulties we are facing in order to gain public support. Diplomats must also change the diplomatic model of politeness in the past and should be familiar with geopolitics, international law and Diplomacy is the key to achieving breakthroughs.
In addition, Ambassador Gu Ruisheng, who is on the front line of diplomacy, also crossed the sea to participate in the forum online at 4 a.m. locally to explain Taiwan’s role and direction in international diplomacy. Gu Ruisheng pointed out that regional conflicts and national security can be viewed through two main axes. First, common values, and secondly, common interests. In terms of common values, Taiwan’s democracy, freedom, and human rights have always been gifted students of the international community, and common Interests were a relatively neglected part in the past.
Taiwan’s Ambassador to Sweden, Gu Ruisheng, participated in the forum online at 4 a.m. local time. (Photo by Jiang Lihua)
Promote six major advantages to let the world see Taiwan
Gu Ruisheng believes that with the increased visibility of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry and its international trade status, Taiwan can combine its strategic position with the common interests of its international allies. For example, the Taiwan Strait accounts for 50% of global commercial shipping volume; Competitiveness ranks sixth in the 2023 ranking. In other words, when a country has excellent competitiveness, international connections will be strengthened, and at the same time it can enhance national security and avoid regional conflicts.
In addition, Gu Ruisheng also mentioned that international allies actually have many solutions to the so-called “One China” issue. Especially in the latest version of the US Indo-Pacific Strategy Report, the first key to the US One-China policy is the relationship with Taiwan. France, the second is the three communiqués on the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and China, and the third is the six guarantees on Taiwan. Gu Ruisheng pointed out that many allies with similar ideas, especially the European Union, the United States, Japan, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, etc., mostly talk about the “one-China policy”, that is, they have diplomatic relations with China, but they do not refer to The position that Taiwan is part of China is also the basis for diplomatic interaction.
Gu Ruisheng believes that what we need to think about now is how to make Taiwan more visible. Gu Ruisheng said that Taiwan has had “three treasures” in recent years. The first treasure is that it is a country suitable for foreigners to live, and the second treasure is that it has the highest Internet freedom. , the third treasure is the first in public health. In the future, we will try to introduce six treasures, including K (Knowledge), A (Attraction), I (Improvement), continuous improvement, N (Norm), A (Ambition) is determined to be the guardian of (democracy), and N (Nation) is self-confident, allowing Taiwan to continue to build good relationships internationally.
