Joseph Wu: US abandonment of Ukraine could empower China

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu warned Thursday (March 28) that if the United States abandons Ukraine, it could embolden China's aggression towards Taiwan and strengthen Beijing's anti-American propaganda.

Wu's comments come as the Biden administration seeks congressional approval for an additional $60 billion in aid for Ukraine, a move opposed by many Republicans echoing former President Trump's "America First" stance.

Wu argued that a Russian victory in Ukraine would be seen as a collective win for authoritarian nations, given the close ties between Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran. He stressed the importance of U.S. support for countries threatened by authoritarian regimes.

The proposed budget also includes $8 billion to counter China in the Asia-Pacific region, with $1.9 billion earmarked for U.S. military supplies to Taiwan. It also includes $14.1 billion in military aid for Israel. Some Republicans argue that the funds for Ukraine should be redirected to counter China, a threat they perceive as greater.

However, other Republicans and many Democrats share Wu's view: Taiwan's security is intertwined with Ukraine's. If Ukraine falls, China may perceive a U.S. weakness and increase its chances of successfully invading Taiwan.

Beijing has never renounced the use of force against Taiwan, and both the U.S. and Taiwan have sought to deter China by strengthening regional military capabilities and rallying democratic nations.

Since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, China has propagated the narrative that U.S. commitments are unreliable, a powerful perception battle Taiwan now faces.

Wu noted that since Russian President Putin's visit to Beijing before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, China has been spreading false information echoing Russian narratives, including that NATO's eastward expansion forced Putin to attack Ukraine and that U.S. support for Ukraine is unreliable.

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