Later that month, Dutton warned of the “ terrible price” of inaction over Taiwan, comments which were supported by Morrison. Morrison’s hawkish then Defence Minister, Peter Dutton, said in late 2021 that it was “ inconceivable” that Australia would not support the United States in a fight with China over Taiwan. Australia has supported many of these efforts, such as allowing Taiwan to participate more freely in the World Health Organisation.īut by and large, Australian policy towards Taiwan under both Labor and Coalition governments has been cautious, even during the intense debates over China during Scott Morrison’s time.Īustralia can be just as good a partner by strengthening its security partnerships with the United States and Japan and its defence posture to build deterrence in the region. Taiwan has worked hard to push back against Beijing’s campaign in international organisations, but with limited success. Beijing’s response to the DPP’s ascendancy has been to squeeze and isolate Taiwan at every turn and to stop the island’s government from building closer ties around the world, including with Australia. In all likelihood, Beijing will respond with belligerence to a DPP victory, by lifting military pressure on the island. Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan’s president, centre, during a rally alongside Vice-President and DPP presidential candidate Lai Ching-te, left (I-Hwa Cheng/Bloomberg via Getty Images) If DPP’s candidate wins, that would give the party an unprecedented third term in the presidential palace. Ahead of the presidential poll in January next year, the DPP holds a narrow lead ahead of the more mainland-friendly Nationalist party. DPP leader Tsai Ing-wen, was returned for a second term as president in 2020. ![]() In some ways, both the ministerial visits and trade deal were collateral damage from the change in government in Taiwan in 2016, when Beijing’s bête noire, the anti-China Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), won the presidential election. ![]() The Coalition government, elected in 2013, was negotiating a bilateral trade deal with Taiwan, but dropped it under intense pressure from Beijing. Australia has sent ministers to Taiwan in the past – the last time was in 2012, when Craig Emerson, Labor’s then Trade Minister, visited. The pair say Australia should support Taiwan’s application to join the regional trade pact, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and reinvigorate bilateral ties by measures such as sending ministers regularly to the self-governed island and negotiating a bilateral trade deal.īy themselves, these are not radical ideas. Should Australia adopt a more assertive and, by definition, riskier policy on Taiwan?īenjamin Herscovitch and Mark Harrison, of the Australian National University and the University of Tasmania respectively, make a cogent argument in a new Lowy Institute Policy Brief for a fresh approach on Taiwan.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |