Australian Polity, Volume 10 Number 1 & 2

the delegation. The visit followed the passage of the
first-ever stand-alone report in the EU Parliament on EU-
Taiwan political relations and cooperation. The report,
adopted by 580 – 26 votes, recommended that the EU
resume work on a bilateral investment agreement, and
for Taiwan’s inclusion in international organisations, such
as the WHO.
“Democracies must
support each other
when confronted by
the CCP”
The latter is also the focus of the US administration, which
is calling for meaningful participation by Taiwan in the
United Nations system. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken,
noted on October 26 that ‘as the international community
faces an unprecedented number of complex and global
issues, it is critical for all stakeholders to help address
these problems. This includes the 24 million people who
live in Taiwan. Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the
UN system is not a political issue, but a pragmatic one.’
Increasingly, China is being criticised for misusing UN
resolution 2758, which recognised the PRC, by excluding
Taiwan from international activities. Not only are other
nations calling out China’s appalling human rights record
but are recognising that a free-trading democracy should
be encouraged. This is partly pragmatic, for example,
recognising Taiwan’s pre-eminence as a semi-conductor
manufacturer, but also strategic. If the CCP was to rule
Taiwan, nearby nations like Japan, Korea, Vietnam and the
Philippines would be severely impacted, not to mention
the dangers to international trade and regional harmony.
The free world must support democratic regimes, such
as Taiwan. Unlike China, Taiwan is a thriving democracy
that has been self-governed for more than 70 years. If
you want to see the future of Taiwan under the CCP, just
look to the repression being inflicted on the people of
Hong Kong. Perhaps the best support, beyond military
cooperation, is the clear assertion that any forceful
measure against Taiwan would lead to economic and
international isolation resulting in the fermentation of
internal unrest for China. China suffers many internal
problems. If the price of ‘winning’ is too high, it will maintain
the status quo. Afterall, the preservation of the CCP is
the critical concern for the Chinese political elite.
This article was first published in the Spectator Australia.
32 Australian Polity