TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's representative to the European Union, Hsieh Chih-wei (謝志偉), declared Wednesday (Nov. 26) that China should be considered an "enemy state" rather than a "foreign country." Hsieh's statement follows recent remarks by Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) that Taiwan and China belong to different nationalities. The Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨), Taiwan's main opposition party, criticized Liu's comments as unconstitutional.
Hsieh highlighted the Spanish Congress of Deputies' October 2022 resolution, which opposed unilateral actions disrupting the Taiwan Strait status quo. He questioned whether anyone in Taiwan could ignore China's military threat and emphasized the reality of weapons currently aimed at Taiwan. Hsieh stated that denying the People's Republic of China as a country is China's business, but denying missiles and guns as weapons is Taiwan's responsibility to address.
KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) recently fueled debate by suggesting Taiwan might not need to wait until the 2028 presidential election for political change. Hsieh warned of potential unrest, referencing historical events like the Tiananmen Square Massacre and the plight of Tibetans, Uyghurs, and Hongkongers under Chinese rule. He cautioned that allowing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to gain control would lead to dire consequences for all Taiwanese citizens.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (高市早苗) described a "Taiwan contingency" as a potential "existential crisis situation," escalating China-Japan diplomatic tensions. The Chinese embassy in Japan cited the U.N. Charter's "enemy state" clauses, suggesting Japan's involvement in Taiwan could provoke military action. Japan's government rejected China's interpretation, asserting it contradicts U.N. decisions and reaffirming its longstanding policy. ◼