Former President Ma Ying-jeou (???) said Monday “peace has no losers,” as he urged Taiwan’s government to do its utmost to avoid a conflict with China.
Ma, who had been paying his respects at a temple in the 228 Peace Memorial Park in Taipei on the 75th anniversary of the 228 Incident, made the remarks in response to questions regarding Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine.
Although Ma acknowledged that the causes of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine were complicated, he said the most important thing right now was that the two sides made an all-out effort to build peace, adding that the same could be applied to Taiwan’s handling of cross-Taiwan Strait affairs.
Asked about the prospect of U.S. assistance in the event of a Chinese invasion, Ma said that while Washington would sell weapons and provide information to Taiwan, the chances of U.S. troops being sent to Taiwan were low.
Ma’s remarks on Ukraine echoed those made by opposition Kuomintang Chairman Eric Chu (???) the previous day at a gathering with returning expatriates from Myanmar.
Asked whether Taiwan could be the next Ukraine, Chu stressed that this would depend on solid self-defense, a full commitment to peace, and resolving to avoid provocation.
“We are against any types of wars and any forms of invasion. That is why we need to be ready for combat and never rely on others,” he said.
“We also attach much importance to peaceful cross-strait relations, in particular, amicable dialogue, to create peace in the region,” Chu said, adding that malicious provocations could lead to conflict and war.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel