Taiwan, EU both face threats of ‘external infiltration', president tells European lawmakers
Taiwan views the EU as one of its most important like-minded democratic partners.
TAIPEI - Taiwan and the European Union share the same values of freedom and democracy, but both also face similar threats from 'external infiltration', President Lai Ching-te told visiting European lawmakers on July 22.
Taiwan views the EU as one of its most important like-minded democratic partners, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, and the bloc has had to balance its support for the Chinese-claimed island with relations with Beijing, which views Taiwan as its own territory.
China confirmed on July 21 that it will hold a
top-level summit with the EU in Beijing this week marking 50 years of diplomatic ties as both sides seek to navigate trade disputes amid broader global trade uncertainties.
Mr Lai, meeting members of the European Parliament's Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield at the presidential office in Taipei, said Taiwan and the EU not only have close economic and trade ties, but also share the values of democracy and freedom.
'But in recent years, both have encountered information interference and infiltration by external forces which have attempted to manipulate the results of democratic elections, create confrontation in society, and shake people's confidence in democracy,' he said, according to a statement from his office.
Taiwan, which rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, has repeatedly accused China of interfering in its democracy, spreading fake news and undermining public trust in the government.
China denies the accusations, but says Taiwan's government is seeking foreign support to push its own 'separatist' agenda.
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For their part, many European countries say Russia has similarly been seeking to discredit European governments and
destabilise the EU . Moscow rejects the allegations.
Mr Lai said that democracies work not to fight against anyone, but to safeguard a 'treasured' way of life, just as Europe strives to promote the spirit of pluralism and human rights.
'Standing at the forefront of the world's defence of democracy, Taiwan is determined to work to safeguard democracy, peace and prosperity around the world, and hopes to share its experience with Europe,' he added. REUTERS
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Straits Times
37 minutes ago
- Straits Times
India seeks to take over Bitra island in strategically located Lakshadweep to build naval base
Find out what's new on ST website and app. – Fisherman Muhammad Yaseen O.C., who lives on Bitra Island in the strategically located Lakshadweep archipelago, is extremely concerned that he may lose both his home and job amid India's quest for greater oversight over the Arabian Sea to counter China's growing footprint. On July 11, the Revenue Department of Lakshadweep, a federally administered area situated off the south-western coast of India, unveiled a proposal 'for the acquisition of the entire land area of Bitra Island'. The objective is to transfer the island in Lakshadweep, which is in the northern Indian Ocean, to 'relevant defence and strategic agencies of the government of India', according to the notification. Residents of Bitra Island fear that this transfer would ultimately require them to relocate to another island. The union territory of Lakshadweep is strategically perched amid maritime trade routes between the Malacca Strait, the Gulf of Aden and the Strait of Hormuz. India has a strong naval and coast guard presence in Lakshadweep. However, China's investments in infrastructure, such as ports and a base in the African nation of Djibouti, and its incursions into the Indian Ocean are prompting India to strengthen its presence. India sees how China has increased its presence through investments and cultivating leaders in the region, spanning Pakistan and Nepal in the north to Sri Lanka and the Maldives in the south, which Indian experts term a 'string of pearls' encirclement strategy. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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While the archipelago also relies on tourism and coconut cultivation, the bulk of Bitra Island's population make a living by fishing in the surrounding marine-rich reef. 'I am feeling very nervous. Some people are calling us anti-nationals (because of the opposition to the takeover). 'We are not against India's defence interest. But if they take the island away from us, where will we go?' said Mr Yaseen. 'This is our home,' he added. A 'Save Bitra Island' social media campaign has also been launched to rally support from people living on the other nine inhabited islands, out of the 36 that make up Lakshadweep. A video for the campaign features aerial photographs of the island, ringed by golden sand beaches bathed by emerald blue waters. The video ends with the message: 'Save Bitra, Save Lakshadweep.' While no timeline for the acquisition has been made public, the administration has set a two-month deadline starting from July 11 to carry out a social impact assessment survey to analyse how the acquisition would affect individuals and communities. A local district official, who was not authorised to speak to the media, said they had been asked to conduct the survey, noting that nothing would move forward till it is concluded. But residents are not waiting around for the report to be done, and are already discussing their next course of action, including taking a petition to the high court. 'We will even take the legal route if necessary,' said Mr Yaseen. China's growing presence in Indian Ocean About 40 per cent of global trade and 80 per cent of the maritime oil trade pass through the Indian Ocean. Lakshadweep's proximity to important shipping lanes makes it a critical asset for India's maritime security. It allows the South Asian country to monitor vital shipping lanes like the Nine Degree Channel in the Indian Ocean, which connects South-east Asia to the Middle East and Europe. And it boosts India's ability to swiftly deploy defence resources to effectively combat maritime threats like drug smuggling and piracy. Eighty per cent of China's oil has to pass through the Malacca Strait that lies east of the Indian Ocean. The move to take over Bitra Island – situated in the northern part of Lakshadweep – is clearly a sign of mounting Indian insecurity about China's growing presence in the Indian Ocean, noted analysts. Lakshadweep already has two naval bases, the second of which was inaugurated in 2024 on Minicoy Island, which is the southernmost atoll and closest to the Maldives at a distance of about 130km. The Indian Navy had said at the time of the inauguration that the base was 'part of efforts to augment security infrastructure at the strategically important' islands. Its first base in the Lakshadweep islands on Kavaratti was commissioned in 2012. 'If this move (to take over Bitra Island) is approved and implemented, it would add a third Indian defence base in the Lakshadweep island chain, alongside the naval bases on Kavaratti and Minicoy. This would increase India's presence and ability to deploy into the western Indian Ocean,' said Mr Viraj Solanki, research fellow for South and Central Asian defence, strategy and diplomacy at the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies. India fortifying Andaman and Nicobar Islands 'This is similar to India's growing presence in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which enhances India's presence in the eastern Indian Ocean,' Mr Solanki noted. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are located in the Bay of Bengal, near sea lanes including the Malacca Strait. Notwithstanding environmental concerns and the possible effects on the local indigenous tribal communities, India is going ahead with plans for a transshipment port, an airport, a power plant and a settlement on Great Nicobar Island, the largest and southernmost of the Nicobar Islands, within the union territory of Andaman and Nicobar. The government plans to handle four million containers by 2028 in the first of the transshipment port's four phases. While Great Nicobar is spread across 921 sq km, Bitra Island is a mere 0.105 sq km. It has a primary school up to Class 8 for those between 13 and 14 years old, and children who want to continue their education must go by boat to the neighbouring island of Chetlat, which is about 48km away. The island is also known for a small shrine to Malik Mulla, an old Arab saint who is said to have been buried there, and is a place of pilgrimage. According to the government website for Lakshadweep, the first permanent settler on Bitra Island was a woman and her son from Chetlat, who started living on the island from around 1945. The opposition Congress party also held protests against the takeover of Bitra Island on July 22 and has vowed to continue to support the residents of the island. 'The more pertinent aspect is that Bitra Island is the smallest in area and population, but in terms of economic zone, Bitra Island has the largest lagoon in Lakshadweep. It is a very lucrative economic zone. 'Fishermen of different islands park their boats and do fishing,' MP Muhammed Hamdullah Sayeed, who represents Lakshadweep in Parliament and belongs to the Congress party, told The Straits Times. 'We don't want to compromise on national security. But why take over the entire island? Where will they go?' Maldives balancing ties with India and China On a visit to Lakshadweep in January 2024, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a submarine optical fibre connection from Kochi in the southern Indian state of Kerala to boost communications infrastructure. He shared photos and videos of himself snorkelling to promote tourism and persuade Indians to visit Lakshadweep. The visit, however, triggered a row with the Maldives , which saw it as an effort to draw away Indian tourists from its own pristine beaches and natural beauty. Ties have since improved between the two countries. Like other island nations in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives has continued to balance its ties with India and China. Underlining the importance of the Maldives for India, Mr Modi, who was on a two-day visit to the Maldives from July 25 to boost trade and defence ties, called the island nation a 'true friend' of India. He and Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu officially opened the Maldives National Defence Force's new office building, which was constructed with funding from India, on July 25. India has also offered a US$565 million (S$724 million) line of credit to the Maldives. Can the elephant and the dragon bed down together in Indian Ocean? India has been alarmed by China's increasing incursions into the Indian Ocean. A 2024 report by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think-tank, on China's dual-use research operations in the Indian Ocean said that the country 'is undertaking sweeping efforts to transform its navy into a formidable 'blue water' force capable of projecting power far beyond its shores', like in the Indian Ocean. It noted that between 2020 and 2024, 13 Chinese research vessels with 'concerning organisational ties' were active in the Indian Ocean region. India and China have a complicated relationship due to a row along several sections of their de facto border. Of late, the two countries have moved to improve ties, but distrust remains, with India wary of China's growing clout in South Asia and among the Indian Ocean littoral states. India is also seeking to greatly expand its naval footprint, with 59 warships now being built in Indian shipyards, according to Indian media sources. Additionally, plans are afoot for building a further 31 warships, including submarines. The question remains whether India, which is a net security provider in the Indian Ocean, can counter the growing Chinese presence effectively. Ms Suyesha Dutta, an independent foreign policy analyst based in New Delhi, noted that India could do more to counter China in the region. 'India has certainly laid a strong foundation in the Indian Ocean, but it needs to elevate its approach to effectively counter China in the region,' she said. 'This requires deepening economic and infrastructural ties with littoral states to offer viable alternatives to China's 'quid pro quo' diplomacy, investing in advanced maritime domain awareness technologies, enhancing multilateral cooperation beyond existing forums, and developing agile, forward-deployed logistical capabilities to solidify its primacy in the region.' In 2024, India and Mauritius, which is in the Indian Ocean close to Madagascar, inaugurated an airstrip and a jetty, financed by India, on the tiny island of Agalega. Mauritius' then Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth has repeatedly denied allegations that Agalega would serve as a military base for India. In April 2025, India and Sri Lanka signed a five-year memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation, which will govern port calls and high-level military exchanges. Still, Commodore Chitrapu Uday Bhaskar, a retired military officer who served in the Indian Navy, noted that China has deeper pockets than India. China has infrastructural investments in countries like Sri Lanka, where it is operating the Hambantota Port. 'Delhi is constrained by its ability to fund such long-term investments in the manner that China is doing, but it is seeking to maximise the geographic assets it has been endowed with,' he said. 'In the long term, the elephant and the dragon will have to find consensual strategic accommodation in the Indian Ocean region.'
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
French official tells paper Arab countries will condemn Hamas, trying to get Palestinian statehood recognized
FILE PHOTO: French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot speaks to the media on the day he attends the European Union Foreign Ministers council in Brussels, Belgium July 15, 2025. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo PARIS -Arab countries will for the first time condemn Hamas and call for its disarmament early next week at a United Nations ministerial event in New York, a move meant to lure more European countries to recognize Palestinian statehood, France's foreign minister said on Saturday. In an exclusive interview with French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot said the move was part of a long-planned initiative between France and Saudi Arabia. "For the first time, Arab countries will condemn Hamas and call for its disarmament, which will seal its definitive isolation. European countries will in turn confirm their intention to recognize the State of Palestine. Half of European countries have done so, all others are considering it," Barrot told the JDD. "The British Prime Minister has stated his intention to do so. Germany is considering it at a later stage. We will launch an appeal in New York for other countries to join us in order to set in motion an even more ambitious and demanding process that will culminate on September 21," Barrot added. On Thursday French President Emmanuel Macron announced France would formally recognize the state of Palestine at the U.N. General Assembly on September 21, drawing condemnation from the U.S. and Israel. Earlier on Saturday Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni called it counterproductive to recognise a Palestinian state before it is established. On Friday a German government spokesperson said there were no plans to recognise a Palestinian state in the short term. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Woman taken to hospital after car falls into sinkhole on Tanjong Katong Road Singapore Students hide vapes in underwear, toilet roll holders: S'pore schools grapple with vaping scourge Singapore 'I've tried everything': Mum helpless as son's Kpod addiction spirals out of control Singapore NDP 2025: How Benjamin Kheng is whisked from Marina Bay to Padang in 10 minutes by boat, buggy Singapore Almost half of planned 30,000 HDB flats in Tengah to be completed by end-2025: Chee Hong Tat Singapore From libraries to living rooms: How reading habits take root in underserved S'pore children Asia Thai-Cambodia clashes spread along frontier as death toll rises Asia Thousands rally in downtown Kuala Lumpur for resignation of PM Anwar At the upcoming United Nations event on Monday and Tuesday, France and Saudi Arabia plan to lay out a proposed post-war roadmap leading to a two-state solution covering security, reconstruction and governance, which will be compatible with the Abraham Accords negotiated by U.S. President Trump, Barrot said. The French minister added that in coming weeks the European Commission would take a tougher stance on Israel and demand a stop on building of any new settlement projects in the West Bank, and also an end to militarized policing of humanitarian aid distribution. Barrot also called on fellow European countries to demand a removal of the financial blockade on the Palestinian authority so it can receive 2 billion euros he said it is owed. REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Russia says it has captured two villages in Ukraine, Ukraine reports heavy fighting
Find out what's new on ST website and app. A resident stands next to burned cars at the site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Dnipro, Ukraine July 26, 2025. REUTERS/Mykola Synelnykov MOSCOW - Russia's Defence Ministry said on Saturday its forces had captured two more villages in eastern Ukraine, including one in Dnipropetrovsk region where Moscow says its troops have begun to make advances. Ukrainian forces made no acknowledgement that the villages had changed hands, but reported heavy fighting. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in an assessment of the situation along the 1,000-km (620-mile) front line, said the logistics hub of Pokrovsk remained the focal point of battles. He also said Ukrainian forces had recorded "successful actions" in Sumy region on Ukraine's northern border, where Russian forces have established a foothold in recent weeks. Reuters could not independently confirm battlefield accounts from either side. The front-line clashes were reported three days after the two sides held their third direct meeting in Turkey aimed at resolving the nearly 3-1/2-year-old war. Both sides reported progress in swaps of prisoners or the remains of war dead, but no breakthroughs were announced in terms of a ceasefire or a meeting of the two countries' leaders. Russia's military has been reporting nearly daily the capture of new villages in its slow advance westward. The Russian Defence Ministry said its forces had taken control of Zelenyi Hai in Donetsk region and Maliivka, a village just inside Dnipropetrovsk region. The ministry described Zelenyi Hai as "a major stronghold of Ukrainian formations in this section of the front (that) covered approaches to the administrative border of the Dnipropetrovsk region". Dnipropetrovsk is not among the five regions that Moscow claims as its own -- Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and the Crimean peninsula, annexed in 2014. Russia last month said its forces had crossed into Dnipropetrovsk region and now says it holds at least two villages. Ukraine's military has for weeks dismissed any notion that Russian troops hold territory in the region. The Ukrainian military's General Staff, in a late evening report, mentioned Zelenyi Hai as one of several frontline areas that had come under Russian attack 11 times over the past 24 hours. It said Maliivka was one of several villages where 10 Russian attacks had been halted. Zelenskiy, in his nightly video address, said Ukraine's top commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, had identified Pokrovsk as an area requiring "special attention" under constant attack. A military spokesperson, Viktor Trehubov, told national television that Russian forces were attacking Pokrovsk in "a small simply does not stop". REUTERS
