Taiwan looks to boost ties with India
WHILE INDIA HASN’T ABANDONED BEIJING’S “ONE-CHINA” POLICY, IT POSTED A HIGHLY REGARDED DIPLOMAT, MANDARIN-SPEAKER GOURANGALAL DAS, AS ITS REPRESENTATIVE WITH THE INDIA-TAIPEI ASSOCIATION
NEW DELHI: Convergence on new security threats, such as disregard for shared norms and values by other nations, and Covid-19 can add momentum to efforts to upgrade cooperation between India and Taiwan, Taipei’s de facto ambassador Baushuan Ger said on Monday.
In his first interview to the Indian media since he took over as head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in New Delhi in September, Ger said Taiwan was looking to India, as chair of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) executive board, to ensure the body takes a “leave no one behind” stance when considering Taiwan’s participation in WHO and related meetings and mechanisms.
Ger’s remarks came against the backdrop of efforts by India and Taiwan to give a boost to their relations amid the dragging India-China border standoff.
While India hasn’t abandoned Beijing’s “One-China” policy, it posted a highly regarded diplomat, Mandarinspeaker Gourangalal Das, as its representative with the IndiaTaipei Association. Ger, one of Taiwan’s top diplomats with past stints in the US and the
UK, was sent to India.
Asked if there was scope for New Delhi and Taipei to work together to address challenges emanating from Beijing, Ger replied, without naming China, that new security threats, such as “Covid-19, disobedience [of] shared norms and values, environmental disasters as well as cyber security” were common concerns. “I believe a convergence of such new security interests could further create the momentum to upgrade the cooperation framework between our two sides. India plays a key role in the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region and Taiwan is an essential partner in achieving the goal,” he said.
Ger, however, said bilateral ties should be based on mutual interests, rather than other external factors, and even hinted the two sides should have a relook at their overall relationship.
“In the past 25 years, both Taiwan and India have greatly benefited from ever-growing trade and investment, education exchanges and technological collaborations. Now it is time for us to redefine our mutually beneficial objectives and the strategies to achieve them,” he said.
“Promoting economic connections and social exchanges remain the priority, but other new areas shall be taken into consideration,” he added.
Asked if India and Taiwan can cooperate on global platforms like WHO and if Taipei expects New Delhi to back its efforts to become a member of WHO, Ger pointed to India’s current role as chair of WHO’s executive board and said that “WHO should welcome participation by all stakeholders, including Taiwan”.
“As viruses like Covid-19 acknowledge no borders, we hope, India will help ensure WHO maintains a professional and ‘leave no one behind’ stance when considering issues related to Taiwan’s participation in the WHO and its related meetings, mechanisms and activities,” he said.
Amid the India-China border standoff, Beijing repeatedly expressed anger over growing relations between New Delhi and Taipei and even issued a list of dos and don’ts to the Indian media on covering Taiwan’s national day in October, asking them to honour the “One-China” policy.
Ger said China’s attempts to intimidate Taiwan militarily hadn’t ceased and it continues to dispatch military aircraft and vessels “to circle Taiwan and provoke us”. Since January, more than 300 aircraft of the People’s Liberation Army intruded into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone and intrusions by Chinese warplanes “have become almost a daily occurrence”, he said.