Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's a privilege to rise and speak in support of this motion and co-sponsor it with my colleague in the chamber Senator David Fawcett. I've spoken many times in this Senate chamber about the importance of every member of our parliament, particularly in our outreach and interactions with the international community, being impelled to promote the fundamental principles of democracy: equality, freedom, solidarity and respect for the rule of law. Not only do these values and practices apply to Australian society but they are the observable moral benchmarks of all authentic and functioning democracies. Sadly, they are not universally evident.

It was a privilege, along with Senator Fawcett, to attend the recent IPAC conference in Taiwan. I now stand with him to move this urgency motion, with the intent of supporting United Nations resolution 2758 and Australia's official position on matters related to Taiwan.

In 1971, United Nations resolution 2758 was passed, with the intention of granting the seat occupied by the Republic of China in the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council to the People's Republic of China. The resolution does not mention Taiwan or address its political status. Despite this fact, there is an ongoing and egregious campaign currently under way from the PRC to reinterpret the resolution and misrepresent what the resolution actually does.

It must be made crystal clear and affirmed without question or doubt in this place that resolution 2758 does not establish PRC sovereignty over Taiwan. Any assertion to the contrary is not just false but should be considered an active attempt to undermine the true and genuine objectives of the resolution. We must be diligent in opposing such disinformation, because attacks on truth are also attacks on democracy. It is deeply regrettable that representatives of the PRC continue to distort the meaning of resolution 2758 in support of the One China principle, and to alter historical documents to change 'Taiwan' to 'Taiwan, province of China'.

We cannot allow any individual or group to undermine the genuine meaning and importance of resolution 2758, as such action is in direct opposition to both Australia's initial intention in supporting the 1971 resolution and our current position on China and Taiwan.

It is crucial in this place and throughout the world that we are strident in our condemnation of deceit and resolute in our promotion of truth and historical fact. It is regretful that the People's Republic of China misrepresents Australia's own One China policy. Australia's longstanding and bipartisan One China policy facilitates political ties with the People's Republic of China and also close unofficial ties with Taiwan. Taiwan is a leading Indo-Pacific democracy and an important partner for Australia. We share with Taiwan an interest in an open, inclusive and stable Indo-Pacific region. We maintain close positive trade and economic ties with Taiwan, including working with Taiwan on the Green Climate Fund and the UN development program to fund the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project. Australia is Taiwan's next second most popular destination for overseas education, and around 200,000 Taiwanese have had working holidays in Australia.

Australia has long supported Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organisations. It's not in the interest of the international community to have 24 million Taiwanese excluded. The International Civil Aviation Organization and the World Health Organization are global bodies. They are examples of critical information sharing and global planning bodies that require global representation.

In the context of active misinformation, it is also crucial to put on the record that Australia's official policy does not preclude parliamentarians from meeting with the Taiwanese community or, indeed, travelling to Taiwan. Just last month, I was privileged to travel to Taipei with Senator Fawcett and New South Wales MLA Hugh McDermott to engage with parliamentarians from Taiwan and around the world to discuss the importance of regional stability, democracy and respect for sovereignty.

Let me be clear. Australia does not want any unilateral change to the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. We share with all people and nations of goodwill a deep interest in peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and within our region. Australia's leaders across the parliament have expressed concern, and we seek to create no confusion about United Nations resolution 2758.

Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

For the past few decades democracy in our region has been balanced on the knife's edge. We walk round on eggshells trying to balance our massive trade with the Chinese Communist Party, not being too critical so that their heavy-handed trade sanctions won't cripple us again. We have welcomed the premier of China into this place, celebrated by a gun salute and a drop of our finest wine, but I have to ask: what was the Albanese government toasting? Were you toasting the deliberate injuries inflicted on Australian Navy divers last November by sonar pulses from a Chinese warship? Were you toasting the crippling trade sanctions on Australian agricultural products? Were you toasting locking up innocent Australians like Cheng Lei in Chinese prisons? Were you toasting the more than one million Uighur people who have been held in detention by the Chinese Communist Party since 2017? Or were you toasting the Chinese Communist Party's erosion of democracy in Taiwan?

As a middle power, Australia has a role to play in ensuring that Taiwan's future is as bright as its democratic past. Like many territorial disputes, this is not an issue that has been brewing for a couple of years or even decades. China's dispute over Taiwan goes back centuries. Once upon a time, China controlled Taiwan for just 212 years out of the 30,000 years of people living in Taiwan. The people of Taiwan continuously reject reunification with the Chinese Communist Party, with less than five per cent of support for the reunification in Taiwan. The Chinese Communist Party has no business in destroying democracy in Taiwan. The people of Taiwan need an international community with a spine. Australia must stand up against the Chinese Communist Party and back the more than 22 million people of Taiwan who choose democracy and freedom over the authoritarianism of the Chinese Communist Party.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I acknowledge Senator Fawcett and Senator O'Neill in their moving of this urgency motion, and, in doing so, I recognise them as two of many parliamentarians, myself included, who, over many years, have visited Taiwan and done so as part of the respectful relationship that we have—and I expect many more to visit in the years ahead.

In 2022, Australia marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China, established in the joint communique between our nations in 1972. Although our relations had ebbed and flowed throughout this time, the strength of our people-to-people and business-to-business relations are a testament to the goodwill of citizens in both our nations. Australia's act of establishing diplomatic relations with the PRC followed United Nations resolution 2758 on 25 October 1971, which, after 22 years of debate, recognised the international standing of the People's Republic of China as the 'only legitimate representative of China to the United Nations' and also as 'one of the five permanent members of the Security Council'.

UN resolution 2758, however, did not mention Taiwan and did not determine sovereignty over Taiwan. Australia's joint communique of 1972 with the PRC establishing our diplomatic ties did mention Taiwan but, similarly, did not determine sovereignty over Taiwan. Instead, it simply acknowledged the position of the PRC that Taiwan was a province of the PRC. This established the principles that have consistently guided Australia's one China policy since 1972.

We do not recognise Taiwan as a country but we maintain unofficial contacts with Taiwan, promoting economic, trade and cultural interests. Indeed, just as our people-to-people and business-to-business ties with the PRC have grown through the ensuing 52 years, they have also grown with Taiwan, which we welcome. Taiwan is a major trading partner for Australia and supplies critical componentry into global supply chains. A strong Taiwan is good for Australia and good for all economies in our region, contributing to growth that all regional partners should be striving for.

We in Australia respect the will of the Taiwanese people, including the democratic principles they share with Australia, and we look to strengthen Australia's ties with Taiwan, as we also seek to grow areas of mutually beneficial cooperation the PRC. Australia has consistently reiterated continued support for a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues according to the will of the people and without resorting to threats or coercion. There should be no unilateral change to the status quo. There is no justification for the escalation in military activities or acts targeted at Taiwan that we have seen too much of in recent years. Such actions risk instability, miscalculation or misadventure and they should cease.

We also support Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organisations as a member where statehood is not a prerequisite, and as an observer or guest where statehood is a prerequisite for membership. One example is our support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in the work of the World Health Organization and Taiwan's participation as an observer in the World Health Assembly. As was demonstrated during the COVID-19 disaster, such viruses do not respect borders. Taiwan's meaningful participation in forums and technical committees of the WHO would be to the benefit of the people of Taiwan and the world.

As a former trade minister, I note that Taiwan enjoys a status in the World Trade Organization under international trade law equal to that of the PRC or Australia or indeed of Hong Kong. On trade policy, we should approach any engagement with Taiwan or requests from Taiwan on the merits of the case presented, as it should be the case in all matters consistent with the principles I have outlined.

Taiwan and the PRC are important, valued partners of Australia. Our relations with each are clearly defined and they should never be misrepresented. Our ambitions are positive and peaceful towards all, and this is an approach we urge all partners to share in.

Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I also rise to add my contribute to this urgency motion proposed by me and my good friend Senator O'Neill. Australia has long endorsed Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organisations, and this is a view that the government reiterates today. Excluding Taiwan and its 24 million inhabitants from international organisations would constrain the world from being able to engage effectively and develop solutions on the transnational threats that we are facing. Bodies like the World Health Organization or the International Civil Aviation Organization require international representation, and the government will continue to uphold this view.

It is important to note, as we've heard from previous speakers, that United Nations resolution 2758, as adopted in 1971, doesn't address the political status of Taiwan. It doesn't authorise the People's Republic of China, the PRC, to represent Taiwan in the United Nations system. It doesn't extend the PRC sovereignty over Taiwan. It is rather regrettable that, as years have passed, so too has the push by the PRC and its representatives to reinterpret resolution 2758, in support of its One China principle, and to change the meaning of these historical documents.

Australia has a longstanding and bipartisan One China policy and maintains close unofficial ties with Taiwan. In May this year, I was very proud to co-lead, with Senator Fawcett, a bipartisan parliamentary delegation to Taiwan for the inauguration of the President and the Vice-President. The visit for the inauguration was entirely consistent with Australia's One China policy. During this historic event, I had the great pleasure of meeting the President and the Vice-President to reaffirm Australia's relationship with Taiwan and our very strong people-to-people ties. Australia enjoys a very strong Taiwanese diaspora of 50,000, and around 200,000 Taiwanese have had working holiday arrangements in our great country. Indeed, the economic, trade and cultural interests Australia shares with Taiwan cannot be understated. Taiwan is one of Australia's top 10 two-way goods and services trading partners, worth around $33.6 billion, and is the sixth largest destination for Australian exports, worth around $23.5 billion.

Australia is also Taiwan's largest energy supplier—many people will not know this. We contribute around two-thirds of Taiwan's coal and almost half of its natural gas. We'll continue to advance this energy cooperation by supporting Taiwan in its uptake of renewable energy, on its pathway to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Most importantly, Taiwan shares Australia's interest in, and a steadfast commitment to, a rules based, open, inclusive and stable Indo-Pacific region. As Indo-Pacific democracies, both countries firmly believe in a peaceful and stable region. This shared interest is important today more than has ever been the case. As has been reiterated by our Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Wong, Australia doesn't want to see any unilateral change to the current status across the Taiwan Strait. The government has repeatedly expressed its concerns about the PRC's military and coastguard activity around Taiwan in recent times. The military brinkmanship is reckless and irresponsible.

Pursuing peace and stability is in all our interests because the alternative is too catastrophic to consider. Australia will continue to engage constructively and take steps to promote stability and transparency so that the region can live in a peaceful and prosperous manner and continue to be a region in which sovereignty is respected. In this place, I will continue to advocate for the right of Taiwanese people to live free from the threat of violence against them and their vibrant democracy.

Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I welcome this motion, regarding the sovereignty of Taiwan, and the opportunity to speak to it. I believe Australia and the rest of the world should recognise Taiwan for the independent sovereign nation it has effectively been since the 1950s. Taiwan is highly industrialised, technologically advanced, socially cohesive and democratic. Taiwan has all the features, characteristics and institutions of a modern nation-state, including self-determination. Taiwan is Australia's sixth largest export market, with two-way trade valued at over $40 billion. Taiwan is also a critical source of Australia's refined petroleum imports—almost $4 billion worth—and it produces about 90 per cent of the world's advanced semiconductors. I believe communist China has no legitimate claim on Taiwan, or the South China Sea, for that matter.

The nationalist party, which governed Taiwan for a long time after its retreat from mainland China, had ambitions to return and overthrow the communists, but Taiwan formally renounced any claims in the 1990s. Communist China has not reciprocated. The regime's highest priority is to capture Taiwan, most likely by force, and turn that beautiful island nation of 24 million free people into another oppressed, polluted, communist hellhole. Communist China's frequent military harassment of Taiwan is aimed at provoking a confrontation to justify an invasion. It's extremely dangerous brinkmanship that puts lives at risk.

The only thing keeping the communists in check is the formidable power of Taiwan's military, another feature of its independent sovereignty backed by the United States. The so-called One China policy is a polite farce that does not reflect reality and appeases a communist regime. There is communist China and there is— (Time expired)

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak in support of the urgency motion, and I commend Senator Fawcett and Senator O'Neill for moving it. It is unquestionable that there has been a concerted attempt by the Chinese government and, unfortunately, by some here in the Australian community to make incorrect claims about the sovereignty of Taiwan and the position of both the United Nations and Australia in regard to Taiwan. This is an urgent matter because it is of great concern for peace and security in our region.

As this urgency motion makes clear, the United Nations resolution 2758 does not establish the People's Republic of China's sovereignty over Taiwan, nor does it determine Taiwanese participation in international organisations. In regard to Australia's policy, the Australian position is not that we agree with the PRC's One China principle. Australia's policy is that we acknowledge that the Chinese government holds a particular position regarding Taiwan, not that we endorse that position. That is a significant distinction, and it's important that Australia's position over such a critical issue is not misrepresented in our country either inadvertently or deliberately. It matters because the Chinese government has made repeated public statements about what it refers to as 'reunification of Taiwan' and has specifically stated that it does not rule out any measures, including military force, to achieve that aim. The Chinese government has, on a repeated basis, conducted military exercises practising encirclement of Taiwan and regularly sends fighter jets into Taiwan's air defence zone.

Nobody in Australia wants to see conflict in our region, but we have to be clear-eyed about the Chinese government's stated intentions and their aggressive and dangerous behaviour. The justification that the Chinese government puts forward for the threat of using force to take over governance of Taiwan is its claim that Taiwan is part of China and must be recognised as such. When people in Australia repeat that claim, what they are doing is supporting a justification being put forward for the use of military force by the Chinese government, and that is why it is so egregious for a former Australian prime minister, Mr Paul Keating, to label Taiwan 'Chinese real estate', as he did in a recent interview.

Mr Keating falsely claims that the whole world recognises China and Taiwan as one country. This is false, and it is not simply a matter of a private citizen expressing a view, as some claim. As a former prime minister, the Australian taxpayer pays for Mr Keating to maintain an office. I think there are questions to be asked about why Australians should pay to support private office for a former official who consistently pushes a false narrative about Australia's policy, especially when that false narrative aligns with that being pushed by foreign regimes such as the Chinese Communist Party.

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, too, rise to very strongly support this urgency motion, and I commend both Senator Fawcett and Senator O'Neill for their leadership in putting this forward as members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China—an alliance of 40 like-minded nations who are doing a very important job in highlighting the bad behaviour, to put it politely, of China.

The brutal reality for those of us in this place, and for all Australians, is that we now have a four-nation axis of dictatorship and authoritarianism, the members of which are now working together in ways that we never previously thought possible. This alliance is seeking to increase quite rapidly its sphere of influence and part of that is through a wide range of multilateral fora and international agreements, by stealth and, as other people have said, by gaslighting—in China's case—Taiwan.

As I said, this alliance is cooperating in ways that we had not thought possible. They have come to understand that an enemy of my enemy is my friend—or something similar to that. But each of them do understand the importance of collaborating and joining their industrial bases to support each other's aims. We have seen for many years the impact of that in non-kinetic attacks on our nation in a wide range of areas. Sadly, it has never been more important for us to stand with like-minded democratic nations against what these four nations are now doing and the threats they present.

We now have two kinetic wars. It is not just non-kinetic war anymore. We have Russia in the Ukraine. We have Iran in Israel and the Red Sea using three proxies, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. China are now preparing very rapidly to cross the Taiwan Strait. And of course, North Korea ever-longingly looks across the DMZ at the Republic of Korea. With what is happening globally, we see with very clear eyes now the threat of China and the other three nations in the new axis. We have to stand up, in this case against, as other colleagues have said, what they are now trying to do—to change this definition of Taiwan—is wrong, like so many other things they are seeking to do. We have to stand up.

Question agreed to.