Jaushieh Joseph Wu
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Republic of China (Taiwan)
October 11, 2023
(As Prepared for Delivery)
Ladies and gentlemen:
Good evening!
The theme of this year’s Yushan Forum is “Start a New Blueprint for Asian Development.” We are grateful that prominent leaders like Mr. Morrison can join us in sharing their insights and best practices on tackling the regional and global challenges ahead of us. On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I welcome Mr. Morrison and applaud his remarkable contributions to advancing the bond between our nations.
Taiwan and Australia are key partners in the Indo-Pacific region. Our bilateral relations continue to flourish thanks to close people-to-people, trade, and cultural ties. Taiwan is Australia’s fifth-largest trading partner and fourth-largest export market while Australia is Taiwan’s seventh-largest trading partner.
Scott Morrison has been a member of the Australian Parliament since 2007. He served as the 30th prime minister of Australia from 2018 to 2022, holding office as leader of the Liberal Party of Australia.
During his tenure as prime minister, Mr. Morrison frequently reiterated Australia’s profound concern for security, peace, and stability across the Taiwan Strait and its opposition to the use of force against Taiwan. As geopolitical uncertainty and tensions in the Indo-Pacific have increased, Australia’s alliance with the United States and cooperation with Taiwan and other like-minded partners have deepened significantly. Mr. Morrison oversaw Australia’s signing of the AUKUS security pact, which has sought to develop its three parties’ advanced military capabilities. He embraced the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, bolstering Australia’s strategic relations with regional partners. And he also directed logistical support to Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s invasion.
The conflict in Ukraine has reminded Taiwan of the need to defend its hard-won democracy. Our way of life continues to face daunting challenges posed by China. As minister of foreign affairs, I reiterate Taiwan’s commitment to working with like-minded partners such as Australia to promote regional peace and prosperity. We cherish the enduring bond between Taiwan and Australia and look forward to broadening and deepening our mutually beneficial collaboration even further in the years ahead.
We are deeply honored to have Mr. Morrison—a true friend of Taiwan and an international statesman—here to deliver a keynote speech. Without further ado, please join me in welcoming Scott Morrison to the podium. Thank you!