Former Australian PM calls for solidarity with Taiwan

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) - Australia's former prime minister has accused China of being a bully and expressed enthusiastic support for Taiwan while visiting the democratically ruled island.

'œNothing is more pressing right now than solidarity with Taiwan," former Prime Minister Tony Abbott told a conference Friday in Taiwan.

China's government has been seeking to isolate Taiwan, which it claims as its own territory. It has stepped up military harassment of the island by flying fighter jets towards Taiwan, with a particularly large demonstration of force starting last Friday and continuing into this week.

Abbott's comments were to a conference organized by a think-tank backed by the Taiwan government. The Australian government has said his visit to Taiwan is unofficial.

Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen launched the forum with a more restrained speech, omitting any direct mention of China.

She did not mention China, but rather said 'œTaiwan is fully committed to collaborating with regional players to prevent armed conflict in the South China Sea and in the Taiwan Strait.'ť

Abbott said that two years ago, he hesitated to attend the meeting, called the Yushan Forum, for fear of provoking Beijing.

China until recently was Australia's biggest market for exports of coal and other commodities.

Things have changed since then, he said, with Beijing tightening controls over Hong Kong and 'œweaponizing'ť trade against Australia.

Beijing has imposed high tariffs against Australian wine, coal, and barley in response to Australia's call for a probe into the origins of the coronavirus which was first reported in Wuhan in December 2019, essentially shutting down imports of these products.

Abbott said the Chinese Embassy in Australia had issued a list of demands that essentially demanded 'œwe become a tributary state.'ť

'œBe a friend, and you'll have friends, be a bully and you'll only have clients who can't wait to escape," Abbott said.

He added, though, that 'œcollaboration is still possible, and trust could yet be rebuilt.'ť

Abbott said the most important thing is to ensure Taiwan's self-determination; Chinese leaders have said they are determined to unite the island and the mainland, by force if necessary.

'œOur challenge is to try and ensure that the unthinkable remains unlikely and that the possible does not become the probable," Abbott said.

'œThat's why Taiwan's friends are so important now, to stress that Taiwan's future should be decided by its own people and to let Beijing know any attempt at coercion would have incalculable consequences.'ť