G7 support a boost to Taiwan’s importance but could threaten its security
- The unprecedented show of international support for Taipei at the G7 presents both opportunities and risks, observers said
- Diplomatic rhetoric could give impression the island is unsafe for investors – and push Beijing into a ‘one-sided unification attempt by force’
An unprecedented statement of support for Taiwan from the G7 last weekend has boosted the self-ruled island’s importance and is likely to renew Taipei’s efforts in securing membership of, or participation in, international organisations, analysts said.
But the increased attention is also likely to threaten its security and could adversely affect Taipei’s ties with regional countries, analysts said, adding that Southeast Asian nations were likely to stay on the sidelines so as not to complicate relations with Beijing.
In a joint statement at the end of their three-day summit last weekend, leaders of the Group of 7 countries – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States – criticised China for its treatment of the country’s Uygur Muslim minority group and its crackdown on pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong. They also underscored the importance of “peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait”.
Beijing’s pressure on Taiwan has raised further alarms, Wilkins said, as the issues “strike at the heart of liberal democratic values and the emphasis on human rights” by Western countries.
