The Australian government has appointed a director of strategic affairs to its de facto embassy in Taiwan to facilitate engagement between the two countries.
The announcement comes after Taiwanese foreign minister Joseph Wu called on Canberra to install military attaches in its Taipei office to liaise with the island nation’s security agencies.
According to him, a military attache could help the two countries work together to prevent “the worst from happening” amid increasing threats from China.
It could also pave the way for smoother intelligence sharing and joint assessment of regional situations.
Wu said that Australia’s immediate response is proof of its commitment to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
The US, Japan, and Singapore are among other countries with military attaches to Taiwan.
‘One-China Policy’
The move to appoint a strategic affairs director in Taipei comes despite Australia’s adherence to the so-called “One-China Policy.”
Canberra has not recognized Taiwan as a country since the establishment of its diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China in 1972.
However, Australia said it has maintained unofficial contacts with the self-ruled nation to promote economic, trade, and cultural interests.
“I know the Australian Office over here has started speaking with our security agencies, and that kind of development is very important,” Wu stated.
“I think it is very important when the Australian government is paying so much more attention to the regional security issues for the two countries to be able to share their observations, their assessment of the situation.”