At a major global security meeting this week, Taiwan’s foreign minister said China, not other countries, is the biggest threat to peace and stability in the region. His comments come after a top Chinese diplomat spoke at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, sparking a sharp response from Taipei.
Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said in a public statement on February 15, 2026 that China’s actions around Taiwan show a “hegemonic mindset” that does not match China’s talk about upholding peace and the United Nations Charter. He said China’s military activity near Taiwan and its global diplomatic claims make it the real security threat in the Indo-Pacific region.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had spoken at the conference the day before, warning that some countries were trying to “split Taiwan from China.” He also blamed Japan for tensions over the island and stressed the importance of sticking to the U.N. Charter.
Taiwan and China have long had a tense relationship. Beijing views Taiwan — formally the Republic of China, as part of its own territory and has not ruled out using force to bring the island under its control. Taipei strongly rejects this, saying only the people of Taiwan can decide their future. Lin pointed out that Taiwan’s sovereignty has never belonged to the People’s Republic of China under international law and historical facts.
China’s military conducts daily patrols and drills around Taiwan, and its latest mass war games took place in December 2025, showing Beijing’s focus on pressuring the island. Taiwan’s government and many experts argue these actions violate the spirit of the U.N. Charter, especially the part about avoiding the threat or use of force.
Taiwanese officials, including Lin, are not invited to attend the Munich conference itself. Instead, Taipei often issues statements afterward to make its position clear on the world stage. This latest response underlines Taiwan’s growing effort to shape how the world views China’s intentions, especially as military and diplomatic tensions continue to rise.
Both sides continue to argue over history and international law, but Taiwan’s leadership is using global forums like this to push back against Beijing’s claims and rally support for its sovereignty.
