New Delhi [India], March 6 (ANI): I-Chung Lai, Senior Advisor to the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation, warned that any conflict in the Taiwan Strait would have direct repercussions for the Indian economy and urged New Delhi to help maintain regional security.
Speaking to ANI at the Raisina Dialogue 2026, Lai recalled the long-standing tensions across the strait, saying China has attempted to invade Taiwan for nearly 75 years and that Taiwan is steadily enhancing its defence capabilities. “Any instability in Taiwan will impact the Indian economy. And this is why we would like to maintain peace, stability and prosperity in the region. We hope the Indian government can play a role to ensure the safety of this area,” he said.
Helena Legarda, Head of Program for Foreign Relations at the Mercator Institute for Chinese Studies (MERICS), told ANI that the war involving Iran is producing notable energy and strategic concerns for Beijing. She noted that Iran has been a source of oil for China, and disruptions will affect China’s energy security and could force it to seek more costly alternatives. Legarda also cautioned that China could lose a strategic partner, with geopolitical consequences.
Legarda added that Beijing may try to use the situation to bolster its image as a responsible global actor, contrasting itself with the United States and other Western powers, and to promote its own views on global governance.
On whether recent conflicts are altering Beijing’s timeline toward Taiwan, Legarda said China’s core objectives remain unchanged, but it is adapting tactics based on lessons from other conflicts. These lessons include military considerations such as the importance of air defence systems. She suggested that China is currently inclined to preserve or restore stability in many of its international and bilateral relationships, including with India, as it manages what Beijing describes as an increasingly challenging international environment and navigates its relationship with the US. (ANI)
(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)
