Fireworks in the Strait

Happy New Year 2023 – 新年快樂?

I had the pleasure of spending New Year’s Eve in Taipei watching the habitual fireworks from the cloud-wrapped skyscraper, Taipei 101. I wish all Taiwanese and all freedom-loving people around the globe a wonderful 2023. I hope it will be a year in which Ukraine will win back their territory so they can celebrate the next New Year in peace. I hope it will be a year where the rights of Iranian and Afghan women are respected. And a year, where China uses more of its resources on much-needed hospital beds for COVID-patients, rather than on military excursions to threaten Taiwan.?

Fireworks in the Strait

In between Christmas and New Year, several Chinese fighter planes crossed into Taiwan’s air identification Zone and passed the median line in the Taiwan-strait. It marked the end of a year during which China has increased tremendously its military activities around Taiwan. The visit by Nancy Pelosi in August led to the biggest military live drills in decades. It is both a show of strength and, unfortunately, a way of making everybody numb to the war escalation. It has an eerie similarity with Russia’s military exercises near Ukraine that, we know now, paved the way for the full-scale invasion.?

The threat is felt in Taiwan and on the 27th December, President Tsai Ing-wen responded through a speech on national security. Tsai lauded the "determination of the Ukrainian people to defend their homeland" which had inspired "freedom-loving people around the world". She emphasised that "No one wants war", but added that "only by preparing for war can we avoid it – only by being capable of fighting a war, can we stop one."?

Tsai announced that after many consultations on national defense she had decided to extend military conscription from 4 months to 12 months starting in 2024.?She called it "an incomparably difficult decision" knowing that it will not be popular among many young voters who already find the current 4 months a waste of time. She sought to address concerns by raising salaries while serving and updating military training for conscripts, from bayonets to Javelin missiles and drone practice.????

Tsai admonished "national defense depends on the people of Taiwan", and the need to show the world Taiwan’s resolve "to protect our homeland and defend democracy". That was also clearly her lesson learned from Ukraine and their will to fight.??

For New Year itself, she carried a double message cross-Strait. In full uniform, Tsai also went to the Penghu wind-swept islands in the frontline of the Taiwan Strait, and delivered a speech to the service men stationed there. But in her conciliatory New Year’s address, she also expressed sympathy for the Chinese being hard hit by Covid and offered Taiwan’s assistance in this.

Chairman of AOD, Anders Fogh Rasmussen goes to Taiwan

My 2023 starts on a busy note. Tomorrow morning, the Chairman of the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, Anders Fogh Rasmussen will arrive in Taipei where I will join him in meeting President Tsai Ing-wen, Vice President Lai Ching-te, and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. The visit will focus on support from the democratic world for Taiwan.?You can read more in our press release by clicking here.

The trip is the first official visit by a former NATO Secretary General to Taipei. Alongside meetings with political leaders, Anders Fogh Rasmussen will meet with Parliamentarians, civil society groups, and democracy activists.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen created the Alliance of Democracies Foundation after leaving office as NATO Secretary General, and our work focusses on bringing the world’s democracies closer together to counter the threat posed by aggressive autocratic regimes. Every year, we host the annual Copenhagen Democracy Summit, one of the world’s primary events dedicated to promoting freedom and democracy. Both President Tsai Ing-wen and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu have spoken at previous summits. The next edition will be held on 15-16 May.?

For me personally, it will be a busy and exciting week ahead. Stay tuned for next week’s newsletter for some highlights and do reach out to [email protected] for any press comments, or the like.????

See you next week,

Jonas Parello-Plesner