Ex-Minister George Yeo “surprised” by Taiwan’s accusation that he’s a “mouthpiece” for China

SINGAPORE: Former Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo expressed surprise at the Taiwan Government’s opposition to his comments during a speech this week. The opposition was so strong that he was accused of being a “mouthpiece for authoritarian China” and aiding in spreading Beijing propaganda.

On Thursday (14 Sept), Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) condemned Mr Yeo for calling on Taiwan to join a “Chinese commonwealth” with China to prevent a cross-strait conflict and embrace a “One China” path during his keynote speech at the Asia-Pacific Forward Forum in Taipei on Wednesday (13 Sept).

He added that former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi exploited Taiwan during her visit in August last year and claimed that the Taiwanese government was “not so willing” to receive her. Indicating that the status quo in the Taiwan Strait is unsustainable, Mr Yeo said Taiwan should work to achieve a “‘One China’ future.”

MOFA expressed deep dissatisfaction with Mr Yeo’s remarks, characterizing them as “completely inconsistent with the facts, clearly biased, and vastly different from the understanding of most democratic countries in the region.”

The ministry emphasized that Mr Yeo’s personal opinions not only failed to contribute to regional peace and stability but also harmed the positive development of Taiwan-U.S. relations and Taiwan-Singapore relations.

Mr Yeo has asserted that he meant well and expressed surprise at MOFA’s statement. He wrote on his Facebook page: “I was surprised by the reaction of Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to my speech in Taipei. The speech was in fact well received by the audience which included former President Ma Ying-jeou and former Vice President Vincent Siew.”

He added: “I have great affection for the land and people of Taiwan and meant well.”

In its statement on Thursday, MOFA called upon foreign visitors to Taiwan, especially those invited to attend events or offer commentary on regional affairs, to have an “accurate understanding of the developments in the international and regional situation” and to “demonstrate respect for the host country and adhere to basic diplomatic etiquette.”

MOFA also said it welcomes friends from all over the world to visit Taiwan and “witness firsthand Taiwan’s steadfast efforts to safeguard national sovereignty, as well as to defend democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law.”

Referring to Mr Yeo, the ministry added, “This is to avoid being perceived as assisting the Chinese government in its propaganda efforts and making inappropriate remarks…leading to social divisions and misunderstandings in Taiwanese society.”