The abrupt cancellation of German Foreign Minister Johannes Wadephul’s planned visit to China this week has drawn a critical response from Taiwan’s representative in Germany, Klement Gu. Speaking to Frankfurter Rundschau, Gu expressed little surprise at the decision, attributing it to Wadephul’s recent, stark criticism of China’s aggressive military posture in the Taiwan Strait, which he deemed a threat to global order.
Gu emphasized the missed opportunity Wadephul’s visit would have presented. He argued that the Minister’s presence in Beijing would have been particularly valuable to explicitly reaffirm the applicability of the United Nations’ prohibition of the use of force – a fundamental principle – to the Taiwan Strait, or to reiterate the importance of unimpeded trade through the vital waterway.
Operating under the designation of “representative” rather than “ambassador” due to the absence of formal diplomatic relations between Taiwan and Germany, Gu acknowledged the informal recognition he receives from numerous members of the German Bundestag. He asserted that Taiwan consistently faces daily provocations from China, including the deployment of warships and fighter jets near its shores – a situation Gu likened to the ongoing challenges Europe faces with Russia’s persistent airspace violations and drone incursions.
While Gu does not anticipate a large-scale Chinese military offensive in the immediate future, he stressed the imperative for Taiwan to maintain readiness and continue bolstering its defenses to prepare for all potential scenarios. His remarks highlight a growing tension within the German-China relationship and raise questions about the efficacy of diplomatic engagement with Beijing amidst escalated regional tensions and China’s increasingly assertive posture towards Taiwan.