In an interview with the Tages Anzeiger newspaper, Wu criticised Switzerland’s interpretation of the Chinese ‘One Country’ vision that sees Taiwan as part of China.
“Switzerland has long followed a policy of neutrality, and so I would encourage Switzerland to be a bit more neutral between Taiwan and China, rather than fighting on China’s side,” Wu said.
“Each country has its own policies, and we understand the practical limitations of foreign policy for Taiwan. At the same time, Taiwan is an economically strong, vibrant democracy. We hope that the Swiss government will recognise this and work with Taiwan in a more practical way.”
More
More
‘Taiwan on everyone’s lips is the last thing China wants’
This content was published on
Swiss observers weigh in on the possibility for closer ties with Taiwan – and the limited options Switzerland has if China were to attack the island.
That would include allowing Wu to travel to Switzerland in his official capacity as Taiwan foreign minister. Wu said this is currently not possible in Switzerland despite a range of other European countries that would welcome him.
Switzerland does not officially recognise Taiwan but maintains relations through intricate channels.
Military build-up
China has become increasingly forceful in its rhetoric towards Taiwan and launched a military exercise near to the island following a visit from United States House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi earlier this year.
Wu said there have been more than 3,000 incursions of Taiwanese airspace by Chinese war planes this year, compared to 380 in 2020.
The Alpine nation has taken a harder line in its dealings with China. The Swiss government has been more vocal on human rights and parliament has discussed ways to reduce dependency on Chinese technology.
But Wu believes Switzerland is still not being tough enough with China’s authoritarian regime.
“Taiwan and Switzerland share the same values of freedom and democracy, protection of human rights and the rule of law,” he said. “Therefore, we hope that the Swiss government will support Taiwan when our country is threatened.”
Popular Stories
More
Foreign affairs
Go to war or stay put? Ukrainian men in Switzerland face fresh dilemmas
Is reforming the Swiss pension system still possible, and if so, how?
Solutions still need to be found to meet the challenge of an ageing population and to improve the pensions of low-paid workers, the majority of whom are women.
New European space tech centre in Switzerland launches its first project
This content was published on
The European Space Deep-Tech Innovation Centre (ESDI), launched in collaboration with the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), is to be located in the immediate vicinity of the PSI in northern Switzerland.
Swiss Federal Railways launches campaign for safety on public transport
This content was published on
The Swiss Federal Railways is launching a campaign for greater respect and safety on public transport, with posters to go up in stations and on trains starting next week.
Swiss scientists to use AI for improved weather and climate forecasts
This content was published on
MeteoSwiss and the Swiss Data Science Center have signed a four-year agreement to make greater use of AI in meteorology and climatology going forward.
This content was published on
Prices of owner-occupied homes rose in the third quarter of 2024 by 0.5%, with inflation affecting both apartments and single-family houses, says the Federal Statistical Office.
This content was published on
The honey harvest is projected to be lower than usual this year, as Swiss beekeepers report harvesting an average of just 16kg of honey per bee colony.
More young refugees in Switzerland following vocational training
This content was published on
More than half of young refugees and temporarily admitted persons between the ages of 16 and 25 are now in training. This is significantly more than five years ago.
One in five Swiss children suffers psychological abuse at home
This content was published on
In Switzerland, one in five children suffers psychological violence, and one in three has witnessed psychological violence between parents, says the association Kinderschutz Schweiz.
Swiss government minister breaks silence over Trump remarks controversy
This content was published on
Transport Minister Albert Rösti explained himself in a television interview on Sunday evening, after being called out for expressing support for Donald Trump.
Swiss Covid expert calls for caution on vaccination recommendations
This content was published on
The head of the vaccination commission would be “even more cautious today” when it comes to Covid-19 vaccination recommendations.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
China’s ambassador warns ‘relations will suffer’ if Swiss adopt sanctions
This content was published on
Chinese-Swiss relations will suffer if Switzerland adopts European Union sanctions against China, says the country’s ambassador in Bern
‘Taiwan on everyone’s lips is the last thing China wants’
This content was published on
Swiss observers weigh in on the possibility for closer ties with Taiwan – and the limited options Switzerland has if China were to attack the island.
Eyes on China and Russia as Human Rights Council meets
This content was published on
The session of the UN Human Rights Council starting on September 12 has a packed agenda, but China and Russia will likely focus much attention.
This content was published on
Swiss President Ueli Maurer’s recent visit to China shows the complexity of Swiss neutrality in the face of current geopolitical realities.
This content was published on
For many years Switzerland was able to increase its prosperity discreetly under the cover of neutrality. But times are changing.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.