Taipei: Former Munich Security Conference Chair Christoph Heusgen has urged global democracies to stand united to preserve the rules-based international order, given the challenges posed by the People's Republic of China (PRC) to Taiwan and the world.
According to Focus Taiwan, Heusgen delivered an address at a dinner during the annual Yushan Forum where he emphasized that the PRC, Taiwan's large neighbor, "is a challenge" due to its repeated disregard for the rules-based international order. He highlighted the PRC's suppression of the Muslim minority of Uyghurs and the minority in Tibet, as well as its ongoing coercion against Taiwan and Japan, including threats to use force, as clear violations of the United Nations charter.
Heusgen, who served as Germany's ambassador to the United Nations from 2017 to 2021 before chairing the conference, advocated for countries sharing democratic values and human rights to unite against these challenges. "And when we stick together, we will win this and preserve it for future generations," he stated.
Jan Lipavsk½, the foreign minister of the Czech Republic from 2021 to 2025, also addressed the gathering, noting that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has persisted for four years, alongside escalating conflicts in the Middle East since late 2023. Amid these ongoing conflicts, Lipavsk½ highlighted the rapid transformation of power dynamics due to advancements in technology such as artificial intelligence, cyber capabilities, autonomous systems, and mass-produced drones.
Lipavsk½ emphasized the inseparability of economic security and technological resilience from national security, underscoring Taiwan's significance. "Taiwan is not only a regional actor. It is a leading technological power, a key node in global supply chains, and a vibrant democracy," he said. He cited the cooperation between the Czech Republic and Taiwan in semiconductor research, cybersecurity, and democratic resilience as examples of addressing security challenges.
He further stressed the importance of forums like the Yushan Forum, which facilitate partnerships that recognize the role of technology, industry, innovation, and democratic resilience in building security, beyond military alliances.
Both Heusgen and Lipavsk½ were invited to attend the two-day 2026 edition of the Yushan Forum, which began on Monday. The forum, launched in 2017, seeks to enhance Taiwan's interactions with partners under the New Southbound Policy introduced by former President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016. This policy aims to boost trade, investment, and people-to-people ties with 18 countries in ASEAN, South Asia, and Oceania, and has expanded over the years to include more global partners.