[International] Tong Chen-yuan: Peace in the Taiwan Strait Affects Global Supply Chains, Cornerstone for Stable Digital Economy
bella@@ 央廣 新聞1d ago
A recent analysis by the British think tank, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), indicated that a conflict in the Taiwan Strait would have a significant impact on the global economy. Tong Chen-yuan, Taiwan's Representative to Singapore, stated on the 14th that the international community's perception of risks in the Taiwan Strait has gradually expanded from traditional military conflicts to aspects like supply chains, emphasizing that peace in the Taiwan Strait is not only in the interest of the East Asian region but also a crucial cornerstone for the stable operation of the global digital economy.
The IISS report, released on the 10th, titled "The Impact of a Taiwan Strait Crisis or Conflict on the Malaysian Economy: A Scenario Analysis," found that the impact of a Taiwan Strait crisis or conflict on regional economies like Malaysia would far exceed that of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tong Chen-yuan told CNA on the 14th that the research further indicated that if a Taiwan Strait conflict were to last for a year, global trade volume could decrease by up to 50%. Southeast Asian countries, highly dependent on international shipping and supply chains, would be the first to bear the brunt, with Malaysia potentially facing economic losses as high as 41% of its GDP.
Tong Chen-yuan stated that these figures fully illustrate that security in the Taiwan Strait is not just a concern for Taiwan, Japan, or China, but is intrinsically linked to global economic stability and the well-being of people worldwide. From semiconductor chips to international shipping, from energy supply to digital communication, the world economy has long been closely connected to peace in the Taiwan Strait.
The 2026 Shangri-La Dialogue concluded in Singapore at the end of May. Tong Chen-yuan pointed out that what is noteworthy is the international community's evolving perception of Taiwan Strait risks, which has expanded from traditional military conflicts to encompass supply chains, energy transport, and digital infrastructure. The security of undersea cables, in particular, has become a significant topic at this year's conference.
Tong Chen-yuan remarked, "When countries begin to focus on undersea cables and underwater infrastructure, it is essentially another way of expressing the importance they place on peace in the Taiwan Strait. The world is increasingly recognizing that peace in the Taiwan Strait is not just an interest of the East Asian region, but a vital cornerstone for global supply chain security, the stable operation of the digital economy, and international order."
Tong Chen-yuan emphasized that maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is not only about safeguarding regional security but also about protecting global prosperity and the common future of humanity.
Australian Minister for Defence Richard Marles warned at the Shangri-La Dialogue that frequent damage to cables in the Baltic Sea and the Taiwan Strait highlights the risks these critical facilities face. He added that while the rules-based international order is not perfect, "the task before us, including all of us and the great powers, is to reshape, not to dismantle, this order."
Tong Chen-yuan noted that attention to the situation in the Taiwan Strait has not waned among ASEAN countries. Although the ASEAN Secretary-General did not directly respond when asked how to avoid conflict in the Taiwan Strait, he still stressed the importance of regional dialogue and preventive diplomacy. These statements indicate that despite different diplomatic expressions by various countries, maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait has become an important international consensus. (Editor: Wang Chih-hsin) Further Reading: British Think Tank: Taiwan Strait Conflict's Impact on International Economy Could Be Like World War III; British Think Tank: Lack of Necessary Safeguards by US and China Could Escalate Taiwan Strait Conflict to Nuclear Level; Decoding International: Shangri-La Dialogue Opens, Focusing on China Threat and US Defense Policy Uncertainty
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=214509
How does this article make you feel?
0 people reacted