Fear of China keeps world timid on Taiwan: UK ex-defense chief
THOMPSON CHAU
TAIPEI -- Western nations show too much "timidity" to work with Taiwan in the face of China's pressure, a former U.K. defense secretary said in an interview with Nikkei Asia.
Gavin Williamson, a member of Parliament who served in senior positions in successive Conservative governments, said countries should recognize that Taiwan is "a proud, sovereign nation-state" and do more to help it counter military threats and "gray zone" pressure from China, which claims Taiwan as its territory.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Mainichi
5 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Brazil hosts BRICS summit, eager to avoid provoking Trump's ire
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) -- Brazil will play host to a summit of the BRICS bloc of developing economies Sunday and Monday during which pressing topics like Israel's attack on Iran, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and trade tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump are expected to be handled with caution. Analysts and diplomats said the lack of cohesion in an enlarged BRICS, which doubled in size last year, may affect its ability to become another pole in world affairs. They also see the summit's moderate agenda as an attempt by member countries to stay off Trump's radar. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will have some of his priorities, such as debates on artificial intelligence and climate change, front and center for the talks with key leaders not in attendance. China's President Xi Jinping won't attend a BRICS summit for the first time since he became his country's leader in 2012. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will make an appearance via videoconference, continues to mostly avoid traveling abroad due to an international arrest warrant issued after Russia invaded Ukraine. Debate over language on hot-button topics The restraint expected in Rio de Janeiro marks a departure from last year's summit hosted by Russia in Kazan, when the Kremlin sought to develop alternatives to U.S.-dominated payment systems which would allow it to dodge Western sanctions imposed after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A source involved in the negotiations told journalists Friday that some members of the group want more aggressive language on the situation in Gaza and Israel's attack on Iran. The source spoke under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the matter publicly. "Brazil wants to keep the summit as technical as possible," said Oliver Stuenkel, a professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation think tank and university. Consequently, observers expect a vague final declaration regarding Russia's war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East. As well as suiting Brazil, a watered-down and non-controversial statement may be made easier by the absences of Putin and Xi, Stuenkel said. Those two countries have pushed for a stronger anti-Western stance, as opposed to Brazil and India that prefer non-alignment. A Brazilian government official told The Associated Press Thursday that the group is expected to produce three joint statements and a final declaration, "all of which less bounded by current geopolitical tensions." The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the summit's preparations. Joao Alfredo Nyegray, an international business and geopolitics professor at the Pontifical Catholic University in Parana, said the summit could have played a role in showing an alternative to an unstable world, but won't do so. "The withdrawal of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the uncertainty about the level of representation for countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are confirming the difficulty for the BRICS to establish themselves as a cohesive pole of global leadership," Nyegray said. "This moment demands high level articulation, but we are actually seeing dispersion." Brazil skittish in light of Trump tariffs Brazil, the country that chairs the bloc, has picked six strategic priorities for the summit: global cooperation in healthcare; trade, investment and finance; climate change; governance for artificial intelligence; peace-making and security; and institutional development. It has decided to focus on less controversial issues, such as promoting trade relations between members and global health, after Trump returned to the White House, said Ana Garcia, a professor at the Rio de Janeiro Federal Rural University. "Brazil wants the least amount of damage possible and to avoid drawing the attention of the Trump administration to prevent any type of risk to the Brazilian economy," Garcia said. While Brazil will continue to advocate for the reform of Western-led global institutions, a cornerstone policy of the group, the country wants to avoid becoming the target of tariffs -- a predicament it has so far largely escaped. Trump has threatened to impose 100% tariffs against the bloc if they take any moves to undermine the dollar. Other leaders shun the summit Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Egypt's Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi will also be absent. Those two countries joined the BRICS in 2024, alongside Ethiopia, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has been invited and is participating in member discussions, but it has yet to send its confirmation letter. As well as new members, the bloc has 10 strategic partner countries, a category created at last year's summit that includes Belarus, Cuba and Vietnam. That rapid expansion led Brazil to put housekeeping issues -- officially termed institutional development -- on the agenda to better integrate new members and boost internal cohesion. Despite notable absences, the summit is important for attendees, especially in the context of instability provoked by Trump's tariff wars, said Bruce Scheidl, a researcher at the University of Sao Paulo's BRICS study group. "The summit offers the best opportunity for emerging countries to respond, in the sense of seeking alternatives and diversifying their economic partnerships," Scheidl said. For Lula, the summit will be a welcome pause from a difficult domestic scenario, marked by a drop in popularity and conflict with Congress. The meeting also represents an opportunity to advance climate negotiations and commitments on protecting the environment before November's COP 30 climate talks in the Amazonian city of Belem.


Nikkei Asia
5 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
Japanese emperor in Mongolia, US tariff deadline, Taiwan exercises
Welcome to Your Week in Asia. Regional and world trade has been roiled over the past few months by U.S. President Donald Trump's sudden shifts on levies, and this week will see a much-anticipated moment -- the end of the pause on Washington's "reciprocal" tariffs. Past and potential conflicts also loom over the agenda this week, with Japanese Emperor Naruhito heading to Mongolia as the world continues to mark the 80th anniversary of World War II, while Taiwan will hold its annual exercises simulating an attack by China. Get the best of our coverage of Asia and much more by following us on X, where our handle is @NikkeiAsia. We are also now on Bluesky, with the handle @ SUNDAY Japanese emperor's Mongolia trip While making a visit to Mongolia that runs through next Sunday, Naruhito is set to honor thousands of Japanese held prisoner during World War II. Ahead of the trip, the emperor said he wished "to pay tribute to and ponder over the hardship of those who unwillingly lost their lives far away from their homeland." MONDAY Vietnam trade data Vietnam publishes trade data for June, which will include information on the origin and type of products. The numbers are expected to shed light on the actions of exporters in response to U.S. tariffs prior to Hanoi and Washington agreeing new levies in a deal last Wednesday. TUESDAY Monetary policy: Australia Earnings: Samsung Electronics WEDNESDAY U.S. tariff pause due to end Trump's 90-day pause of his "reciprocal" tariffs is due to expire, turning up the heat on trading partners in Asia and elsewhere to strike deals to avert the steepest levies. Trump has said he will be sending out letters declaring the tariffs his administration intends to charge other countries. ASEAN foreign ministers meeting Kuala Lumpur will host the ASEAN foreign ministers meeting on Wednesday along with the two-day East Asia Summit from Thursday and the ASEAN Regional Forum on Friday, with key figures such as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and European Union High Representative Vice President Kaja Kallas expected to attend. The high-stakes diplomacy will focus on U.S. tariffs, Middle East tensions and the U.S.-China trade war. Taiwan live-fire exercises Taiwan starts its annual Han Kuang exercises, simulating a possible attack by China. The drills are due to last for 10 days and will involve mobilizing thousands of reservists. Officials have said the exercises will also cover "gray zone" actions by China, short of outright war. This year's edition comes amid particularly high tensions in the Taiwan Strait. OECD employment outlook The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development will publish its latest data on the employment situation in member countries. The outlook will also include an analysis of declining fertility -- a particular concern in Asian nations -- and the impact of increasing longevity on employment and economic growth. Monetary policy: Malaysia Data: China consumer price index IPO: PMCK THURSDAY Mahathir's 100th birthday Mahathir Mohamad, one of the world's oldest living former heads of government, turns 100. Born in 1925, he entered politics in the 1940s and twice served as Malaysia's prime minister, first for a 22-year term from 1981 and later for 22 months from 2018. Earnings: Seven & i, Fast Retailing, Tata Consultancy Services FRIDAY IPO: A1 AK Koh Group

Nikkei Asia
7 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
China opens third extension to sensitive Taiwan Strait flight path
HONG KONG (Reuters) -- China said on Sunday it has opened a third extension of the M503 flight route, which is just west of an unofficial dividing line in the Taiwan Strait, with Taipei protesting this was a "unilateral" move aimed at changing the strait's status quo. China last year moved the M503 route closer to the median line, drawing a similarly angry response from Taipei, which says any changes to the flight route and its extensions must be communicated in advance and agreed by both sides. The opening of the W121 extension comes days before the annual Han Kuang military and civil defense drills that Taiwan holds to simulate a Chinese blockade and invasion of the democratic island. The median line had for years served as an unofficial barrier between Chinese-claimed Taiwan and China, but China says it does not recognize its existence and Chinese warplanes now regularly fly over it as Beijing seeks to pressure Taipei to accept its sovereignty claims. The Civil Aviation Authority of China said that "in order to further optimize the airspace environment and improve operational efficiency, from now on, civil aviation will use the W121 connection line of the M503 route." Taiwan's China policy-making Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement to Reuters that mainland China "used unilateral actions to change the status quo and increase cross-strait and regional unrest." This is the third extension after W122 and W123, which are to the south of W121, opened last year. All three go west to east, from mainland China in the direction of Taiwan. This measure is aimed at "ensuring flight safety, reducing flight delays, and protecting the rights and interests of passengers," China's Taiwan Affairs Office said. It added that the opening was "beneficial" to both sides of the strait. Taipei disputed the explanation as "unjustified", saying "the number of international air travelers on the mainland has not yet recovered" to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels. Taiwan, facing ramped-up military pressure from China, which considers the separately governed island as its own, begins its Han Kuang exercises on July 9 and they are set to last for 10 days.