Taiwan seeks to strengthen ties with Israel, which has shown support for Taipei unmatched by other Mideast countries, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-Lung said on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press.
Taiwan will be “friendly to countries that are friendly to us,” he told reporters at a Taiwan Foreign Correspondents’ Club meeting.
The island nation’s top diplomat pointed to Israel’s cross-party gesture last summer—when 72 Knesset members signed a declaration supporting Taiwan’s inclusion in key international organizations—as an example of the Jewish state’s backing.
“Palestine is very bad to Taiwan” because it aligns with Beijing’s “One-China” principle, Lin said, referring to China’s long-standing stance that the democratic island belongs to the Asian superpower.
Lin added that Taiwanese diplomats are instructed to avoid involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, except on humanitarian matters.
“We provide a lot of humanitarian aid to both sides, including the Gaza Strip and Palestine,” AP quoted Lin as saying.
Last month, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te’ remarked that “Israel’s determination and capacity to defend its territory provides a valuable model for Taiwan.”
Speaking on Oct. 27 at a dinner of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in Taiwan, Lai said, “I have always believed that Taiwan needs to channel the spirit of David against Goliath in standing up to authoritarian coercion,” according to Reuters.
Appeasement has never worked against authoritarian regimes, and the concept of peace through strength is a maxim that the Israeli, U.S. and Taiwanese societies have believed in for years, the Taiwanese president added.
Due to its ongoing dispute with Beijing, only 12 countries worldwide maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Israel has a representative office in Taipei, known as the Israeli Economic and Cultural Office.
