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“We do not seek conflict. We will not provoke confrontation,”
said Bi-khim Hsiao, adding that her government has urged Beijing
to communicate “with parity and respect.”
Hsiao, who has served under Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te
since their election win last year, said her government has seen
“a dramatic uptick in provocative and proactive (Chinese
Communist Party) efforts to infiltrate, sabotage and divide our
society.”
China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory and has
repeatedly threatened to annex it, by force if necessary. In
recent years, Beijing has ramped up its military intimidation of
the island, sending jets and ships nearby almost daily.
China refuses to speak with Hsiao and Lai and has labeled them
“diehard ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists,” a designation for
which it has threatened the death penalty.
In a notable attempt of alleged intimidation by Beijing, Czech
intelligence officials last month said Chinese diplomats planned
to stage a car crash during Hsiao's 2024 visit to the country.
No crash occurred, but a Chinese official ran a red light while
following Hsiao’s car.
“Over the years, I have experienced varying degrees of pressure
and threats, intimidation, including twice sanctioned, but I
will not let that intimidate me or stop me from voicing my views
or from voicing the views of people of Taiwan, and we will
continue to be active in the international community,” she said.
Regarding recurring U.S. intelligence reports that China may be
planning to invade Taiwan before 2027, Hsiao said her government
is focused on preempting that.
“Everything we are doing right now is to prevent such a conflict
from happening – not just in 2027, but ever,” she said.
Taiwan is “very urgently investing in our self-defense
capabilities” in order to deter “any miscalculation and any
attempt at disrupting the peace and stability in the Taiwan
Strait,” she added.
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