(Original Source: The Guardian)
On 16 July, former NATO Secretary-General and Prime Minister of Denmark Mr Anders Fogh Rasmussen urged Europe to defend Taiwan following protests in Hong Kong over the proposed extradition bill. The article was published in The Guardian under the title “Hong Kong showed China is a threat to democracy. Now Europe must defend Taiwan”. Citing Beijing’s bullying of its democratic neighbour, Mr Rasmussen urged the EU to stop ignoring authoritarianism for the sake of stability. The former NATO Secretary-General stressed that developments in Hong Kong show the canary in the coalmine of China’s tacit acceptance of democracy is already dead. Mr Rasmussen pointed out that “for democracy activists in Hong Kong and beyond, there is a shining city on the hill: Taiwan,” adding that the country is the one clear example of a Chinese liberal democratic project that has thrived in recent years.
The former Danish Prime Minister highlighted the threats posed by China, including its strengthening military presence in the South China Sea, violations of Taiwanese air and sea space, and stressed Taipei’s serious concerns over Chinese interference in the presidential election next January. In addition, Mr Rasmussen pointed out that China is also bullying European capitals into accepting its warped viewpoint that Taiwan is just a rebel province. Mr Rasmussen called on the new EU leadership to change its approach and make a stand for democratic self-determination by meeting Taiwan’s leaders, moving forward with an investment partnership and no longer being silent when China takes an aggressive stance.
