The Republic of China (Taiwan) is hosting a group of journalists from almost all quarters of the globe this week, in a bid to show the world that not only is it a country deserving of recognition on the international stage, and that it has nothing to hide, but to also prove that the One China Policy, which is an acknowledgement from mainland China that there is only one China, is a distorted policy, and the rest of the world should regard it as such.
Journalists from Europe, North and South America, The Caribbean, Africa and Asia have, on the first working day (Monday) of their week-long visit, held candid talks with officials from Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research, officials from the island’s Department of International Information Services, the National Development Council, and officials from the newly minted Ministry of Digital Affairs – which is less than a year old.
The group also held frank discussions with the Deputy Foreign Minister Dr Roy Chun Lee, which spanned topics ranging from Taiwan’s level of preparedness to defend itself against an invasion by China, to its highly acclaimed microchip industry and the steps taken to prevent its most advanced semiconductors from falling into the wrong hands.
Taiwan is the biggest producer of the world’s most advanced chips and one of the world’s most dangerous geopolitical flash points.
There is a real fear that should conflict (war) erupt between China and Taiwan, the rest of the world will not get those advanced microchips from Taiwan that are needed for making cellphones and drones, supercomputers and cellular networks, and even to build new weapons.
Those high-performance chips are also needed to render graphics in video games and give smartphones their smarts, guide missiles and analyze oceans of military data, and powers electric vehicles. The technology has transformed Taiwan into a vital strategic asset for the world’s leading powers, meaning the United States and China.
The chip industry is said to make up 15% of Taiwan’s GDP. The island produces over 60% of the world’s semiconductors and over 90% of the most advanced ones.
VOICE Editor Micah George is a member of the group meeting with high-level delegations from Taiwan’s political and economic apparatus.
Taiwan’s response, critically and effectively, to an invasion from China dominated the first day of discussions between journalists and the various delegations. Coming out of these talks are revelations from Taiwan about what the Ukraine/Russia war has taught them, surveys on whether the Taiwanese people are prepared to defend their island, which is in the affirmative, and Taiwan’s desire to maintain the status quo and to be recognized by the rest of the world as a sovereign (independent) nation with resources and expertise that could go a long way in helping make the world a better place.