Taiwan should push harder for global support: Ex-UK defense secretary

Taipei, July 4 (CNA) Former U.K. Secretary of State for Defence Gavin Williamson said Friday that Taiwan can be "too polite" at times and suggested it should "push a little bit harder" in asserting its interests and seeking support from the international community.

"Sometimes Taiwan can be too polite -- I think this is one of the most endearing things about Taiwan, but it shouldn't also be used as your Achilles heel," said Williamson at a symposium titled "China's Threat to Taiwan's National Security" in Taipei.

Williamson, who last visited Taiwan 17 years ago, said he noticed a difference this time, with the country showing greater pride and "a greater desire to actually not be defined by a neighbor."

"We need to see more of that," Williamson said, noting that most countries "often respond to who shouts at them the loudest," and that now may be the time for Taiwan to start raising its voice.

The veteran British politician described Taiwan as an "immensely successful nation" on the global stage, particularly in sectors such as semiconductor manufacturing.

The island country should therefore use that advantage "as part of your armory," he said.

"Taiwan does so many things across the globe, but so rarely asks for anything in return," he said, adding that the country should start pushing back and making its own demands in the international community, as its opponents -- referring to China -- do every single day.

"Let us start taking some of those steps that begin to rebalance ... I don't think that's aggressive -- I think it's logical and sensible. I think it's what every other nation in the world is doing," he said.

'Call it out'

Echoing Williamson, Piero Tozzi, staff director of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), said Taiwan should be "more assertive" in its interactions with countries that "tout themselves as democracies."

The CECC is a commission created by the U.S. Congress to monitor human rights and the development of the rule of law in China.

Tozzi, an expert on Taiwan-China-U.S. relations, noted that Latin America remains one of the few regions where the Republic of China (Taiwan's official name) still has formal diplomatic allies, though the number has dropped in recent years to just seven.

He said some countries that cut ties with Taiwan in favor of China "purport to uphold themselves as democracies," and argued that Taiwan should call them out for abandoning a democracy in favor of "a totalitarian, ruthless regime."

"You have democracy, you have freedom, you have human rights," Tozzi said. "And you have an opponent that wishes to take that from you -- be aggressive, assert yourself."

What should Taiwan ask for?

Asked what Taiwan should seek from the United Kingdom and the United States, Tozzi said it should pursue "some upgraded form of recognition."

"China was in a period of great vulnerability," Tozzi recalled, referring to the time when the U.S. established diplomatic ties with China in 1979 after severing ties with the ROC. "We could have kept a dual recognition, we could have kept U.S. soldiers here -- but we didn't."

He added that while there is now a "very different administration in Washington" that can be "hard to follow," Taiwan could still take advantage of the situation.

"But you do have to ask," Tozzi said.

In the same vein, Williamson said people "should not just think everything is preserved in aspic," adding that Taiwan should seize opportunities for progress and push for a "more sensible level of recognition."

"I think Britain has been more forward-leaning than most other European nations," he said, noting economic agreements between London and Taipei, including three signed on Monday to strengthen cooperation in investment, digital trade, energy and net-zero goals.

Williamson said Taiwan should reinforce the Taiwan-U.K. relationship to "get Britain to chivvy others along," arguing that Europe is not a homogeneous bloc and that many countries have different interests.

"Some of those interests will be very much China-focused, some of those will potentially be much more Taiwan-focused," he said. "So use that diversity in order to create allies as against just leaving the field purely there for the PRC [People's Republic of China, China's official name]."

"Far too often they have a role, and we shouldn't be allowing that to be the case," he added.