Australia 100% Supports Taiwan's Inclusion: Wu 入CPTPP? 吳:尚無國家公開或私下稱不支持

What impact will the Xi-Biden conversation have on the future of the Taiwan Strait? On Nov. 21, Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Wu said he can't reveal any details due to a tacit agreement with the U.S., but Taiwan and the U.S. have an extremely close and excellent relationship. He also said no country has expressed any opposition, publicly or privately, to Taiwan joining the CPTPP.

PRC President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden both had their say on the Taiwan issue during their 3-hour meeting at the G20 summit on the 14th. Will the conversation change anything in the Taiwan Strait?

Joseph Wu, Foreign Affairs Minister: “I am in extremely close contact with the U.S. Our relationship is super excellent. Also, we know everything that happened at (the Xi-Biden meeting).”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said at APEC that only recognized countries can join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Could this mean Australia does not support Taiwan's membership bid? Joseph Wu says the Australian government has already told him all Australian political parties support Taiwan's membership. 

Joseph Wu, Foreign Affairs Minister: “As of right now, no country has told us publicly or privately that they don't support us (joining the CPTPP). They're probably waiting until after the UK (joins) before turning their attention to us.”

Kevin McCarthy, widely regarded as the most likely next speaker of the house, has said he will establish a special committee to tackle China-related issues. He has also criticized the Biden administration for being too weak against China. Wu was asked if McCarthy will visit Taiwan before he assumes his new post and said Taiwan is not in contact with McCarthy. As for the Japanese media reporting that a U.S. warship sailed across the Taiwan Strait on Nov. 5, Wu said the Ministry of National Defense knew all about it.

美中兩強領導人拜登與習近平，14日在G20領袖峰會前夕進行3小時會晤，拜登指美方反對任何一方片面改變現狀，習近平則稱台灣問題是中國核心利益、中美關係「第一條不可逾越的紅線」，外界關注後續對台海局勢的影響。

外交部長吳釗燮表示：「我們跟美方之間的那個溝通是非常地頻密，非常地良好。」

國民黨立委江啟臣問道：「 就拜習會這件事情。」吳釗燮回應：「這個部分，我們已經了解到相關的狀況。」

⁠針對澳洲總理艾班尼斯在APEC表示，只有被承認國家才能加入CPTPP，引發澳洲可能不支持台灣加入CPTPP的聯想，吳釗燮也澄清，澳洲政府已經澄清，澳洲各黨對支持台灣加入的立場未變。

吳釗燮表示：「到目前為止，我們還沒有碰到一個國家，公開或者私下跟我們講說，他們不支持我們（加入CPTPP），應該是等到英國（加入CPTPP）的完成之後，才會進行我們這個部分的協商。」

美國期中選舉揭曉，預料由共和黨領袖麥卡錫接掌眾議院議長，麥卡錫說，他會設立中國問題特別委員會，更指責拜登政府對抗中國不力。外界關注麥卡錫有無可能在上任前訪台，吳釗燮說，麥卡錫還不是議長，目前尚未聯絡。至於日媒報導美國軍艦曾在拜習會前夕，11月5日通過台灣海峽，吳釗燮表示國防部在第一時間都有掌握。