Taipei [Taiwan], August 17 : Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (TMOFA) criticised Beijing on Friday for pressuring Palau to sever its diplomatic ties with the island nation and for its recent coercive tactics that threaten regional peace, Taiwan Focus reported.
TMOFA noted that this is not the first instance that China warned Palau President Surangel Whipps pressuring Pacific nations into breaking ties with Taiwan. Similar concerns have been highlighted in various foreign media reports.
"We have a relationship with Taiwan ... China has openly told us (that) it is illegal and we should not recognize Taiwan. We need economic development, but at the same time we have values, we have partnerships, and the relationship we have with Taiwan, we treasure," Whipps told reporters during an official visit by New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters, the same news report claimed.
New Zealand's Foreign Minister also claimed that China has explicitly advised against recognising Taiwan as a separate identity from China. The minister emphasised that while economic development is important, New Zealand values its partnership with Taiwan, which it treasures deeply.
According to the report by Focus Taiwan, MOFA reaffirmed Taiwan's commitment to "value-based" diplomacy, emphasising that bilateral exchanges in areas such as tourism, medicine, and agriculture remain strong with Palau. The ministry accused China of expanding its influence in the Pacific through intimidation and economic coercion, thereby undermining regional stability.
Notably, China has increasingly asserted its claims over Taiwan since September 2020, employing grey zone tactics by ramping up military aircraft and naval vessel activities around the island. This aggression has intensified following former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in 2022.
Taiwan has been self-governed since 1949, but China views the island as part of its territory and insists on eventual reunification, even by force if necessary. On Friday, Taiwan reported detecting 13 Chinese military aircraft and 10 naval vessels operating in its vicinity between 6 a.m. local time on Thursday and 6 a.m. local time on Friday.
So far this month, Taiwan has tracked over 300 PLA aircraft and around 200 Chinese ships. Since September 2020, China has increased its use of grey zone tactics by incrementally increasing the number of military aircraft and naval vessels operating around Taiwan.
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